Author is right about city’s neglect of College Area

Re “So much for concern over ‘two San Diegos’” (Nov. 12): Danna Givot’s insightful commentary highlights a dismal truth. The College Area is being targeted for massive density despite having almost no supporting infrastructure. City leaders will likely respond with “if we build it, infrastructure will come,” yet the city’s track record makes that promise ring hollow. A community with no fire station, minimal park space and inadequate public facilities cannot responsibly absorb a 316% increase in housing.

The wildfire risk alone warrants immediate reconsideration. The photo accompanying the commentary underscores the vulnerability of this canyon-rimmed community. Adding thousands of stack-’n-pack units to an area the state classifies as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone — without first addressing emergency response capacity — is the definition of irresponsible planning. Have we learned nothing from the recent Los Angeles fires?

If the city is serious about equity, it must stop relegating lower-resource neighborhoods to unsafe, underserved futures. The College Area deserves investment, not burdens.

— Ralph Teyssier, Talmadge