Re: "Voices of young Latinos are lost in the growth debate," (South County Editorial, April 3):

As a young Latina living in Chula Vista, I want to say in response to your editorial that we are very active and involved in the development activities on the Chula Vista Mid-Bayfront.

For example, in the South Bay, hundreds of young high school and college students have worked together to create debate over housing development on the Mid-Bayfront. This debate has occurred within classrooms at Chula Vista and Eastlake high schools, where students have written over 100 letters to Mayor Steve Padilla and the other City Council members. Unfortunately, students at Chula Vista High School have received no response.

The bottom line is that we are running out of space. Western Chula Vista has few places for young people to go that are healthy and positive. It isn't fair that we are being asked to sacrifice our only open space left because the city has encouraged sprawl development to the east rather than create a mix of housing types that provide options for everyone. Our schools already are overcrowded, we hate the traffic on freeways and our streets, and the poor planning has left us with the highest childhood asthma hospitalization rates in the county.

The question is not if affordable housing is needed but rather where it should be built. The debate about housing should offer real solutions to environmental, economic and social impacts, not just baseless hyperbole. The debate should not be about pitting one neighbor or group of people against another, the way your editorial attempted to do. We need to work together on problems that we face.

Many young activists of color in the South Bay are very involved in the growth issues of our South Bay communities. We want decent schools, clean air, a healthy environment and a better future. Youths of color are and have been speaking out and our messages have been loud and clear.

NOHELIA RAMOS

Chula Vista

Ramos is the Clean Bay campaign organizer for the Environmental Health Coalition.

Copyright 2003 Union-Tribune Publishing Company. Used by Permission