Concerned about too many rentals

Regarding “Council gives conversions thumbs down,” Oct. 1-2, I live

across the street from the residence in question and my concerns are

the parking, resale value of my home and the possibility of the

zoning change that may happen if we have too many rentals on our

street.

This street, for those of you who are not aware, is one block

long. It is between Verdugo Avenue and Oak Street. The people who

live here love this street because we don’t have to deal with

flow-through traffic for the most part or having bumps put in to slow

people down like, unfortunately, many of you have to deal with on the

through streets. It is one of the reasons I purchased my home here.

But, now, we are dealing with people who want to come in here and

buy these old homes that have the granny flat from years ago and make

rental properties out of them for an investment. It does affect our

way of life for those who want to live here in this type of quite

neighborhood.

Janet Gallegos is a wonderful neighbor, but her intention from the

start, even before buying the house, was obviously to find a home

that would also be an investment property with a granny flat that she

could rent out (nothing wrong with that).

This is obvious from how the situation turned out in the long run.

It was a business deal gone bad because the law didn’t work in her

favor.

It is unfortunate she picked the wrong home to buy for a

home/investment. I am sure she had no idea that the neighbors would

put up so much opposition either. But it’s the law that is preventing

her from getting the unit legal, not the neighbors. I will still be a

good neighbor and bring over oranges from my tree to share with her

family and I am sure she will be kind and civil, too.

We fought the legalization of the second dwelling rental two doors

down from Gallegos’ house for years. It’s the property that now has a

legal apartment. It is the cause of hers not going through because of

the 300-foot rule. That owner finally got it because the law changed

and she jumped on it fast, beating Gallegos to the punch, so to

speak. The neighbors could not do anything about it because the law

changed in her favor.

If everyone who has a “granny flat” could get them legalized (no

matter how close they are together) to supplement their mortgage we

would be overrun with people in our neighborhoods. We are also

dealing with other homes very close to us that have illegal

apartments or illegal garage apartments.

If I wanted to live in that kind of environment, where I have to

search my street for a parking space and don’t care how many people

are coming and going I can move to North Hollywood. At least the

taxes would be a lot cheaper.

We do have it pretty good here in Burbank but don’t forget we are

paying for it as well.

Yeah, it does seem petty in the light of what many other people

are going though with all the catastrophes that have happened

recently in our country and around the world.

But you have to take care of “home sweet home,” too.

* THOMAS CAIN is a Burbank resident.