8/6/2019 Seadip and Traffic Density

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Reid estate people deny report on 'steering'gets minorityB y D E N I S E K U S E L. S UM W r i te r

S o m e Lon g Bea c h real es tateagents a te using Cerritos' r ep u ta -tion fo r racial h a r m o n y by "steer-ing" minorit ies to the a r e a .Steering is the prac t ice of talk-in g a p ot en t i a l h ome bu y er ou t oflook in g for a h ome in on e a r e a an d^"steering" h im to a n oth er .Dorothy Sieg fr i ed , v i c e p res i -d e n t o f t h e Lon g Bea c h Boa rd o fRea l tors , f i r m l y denies that thispractice exists.B u t , a c c ord in g to a su rvey o f 1 0Lon g Bea c h r ea l es t a t e a g en t s ,s t eer in g i s wid esp rea d ."I 've heard o f c a ses wh ere ab l a c k f a m i l y w i t h a g ood in c omew a l k s i n t o a real estate o f f i c e inL o n g Bea c h ," ex p la in ed rea l estatea g en t J i l l Cra wford . " T he f a m i l ytells th e a g en t t h ey w o u l d l ike tol o o k a t h o m e s i n B e l m o n t Sh ore o rin t h e E l D o r a d o P a r k a r e a . In -s t ea d , th e sa l esma n s t eers th ef a m i l y to Cerritos.MCTTEHI ItOtIM A C

M A L C O L MEPLEYF O R T B I D W E L L - H o r s eown ersh ip , w e h a ve f o u n d , i n volvesmo re t h a n ju s t t a k in g a n oc c a s ion a lride or v iewin g wi th p r id e a coupleof n oble a n ima ls in on e 's o w n p a s -t u re.W e ' v e l ea rn ed , i n o u r shor tc u s t o d y o f t w o quarter-horsesn a m e d B u c k an d S a m , t h a t w e ' r ed a b b l i n g i n h orse med ic in e, horsep s y c h o l o g y a n d , of course, horsea f f e c t i o n .The latter is easy. These ar etw o gentle a n d f r i e n d l y s teeds ."Getting t h e m u p " f r o m th e p a s -t u re i s n o p r o b l e m . I f w e d o n ' t w a l kr ig h t u p t o t h e m , t h e y w a l k r i g h t

u p t o u s .They are a little jealous, likedogs. Curry or bru sh on e a n d th eoth er p u sh es r ig h t i n to t h e mid d leof the opera t ion . Ea c h wa n t s hi ssh a re of a t t en t ion , a n d a littleW E L E A R N E D , too,that thep u rc h a se price is just th e beg in n in go f th e f i n a n c i a l ou t l a y . A t t h e ou t -set , we h a d t o acqu i re saddles,bridles, halters and lead ropes. W ehad a l i t t le luck.W e were a bl e t o p i c k u p a s a d -d l e f o r $100 w h e n a h o r s e m a nn e i g h b o r o f o u r s p a s s e d a w a y .C h e c k th e price o f sa d d les a n dy ou ' l l s e e h o w w e d i d . W e g o t abridle fo r $30, a n d b o u g h t a c ou p leof he'alters fo r u n d e r $ 1 0 e a c h . W eh a v e borrowed a saddle f r o m ay o u n g f e l l o w w h o i s i n college a tR e n o an d doesn't r ide hi s h orse toth e classroom.That gave u s a f a i r s tart o ne q u i p m e n t . N o t h i n g f a n c y , b u t u s -a ble. We d ec id ed a g a in s t a horset r a i l er f o r t h e present. Those thingsr u n i n to mon ey .THEN W E ven tu red in to th ef i e l d o f v e t e r i n a ry m e d i c in e w h e n acouple o f t h in g s h a p p en ed to S a m ,the rosy-colored dun.S a m h a d been here only a c o u -p l e o f d a y s w h e n h e c u t h i s f o o tba d ly ju s t a bove th e h eel . There 'sn o loose barbed wire i n t h e p a s t u r e ,b u t w e f i g u r e d h e m a y h a v e c a u g h th is f o o l o n t h e wire a t t h e t o p o f t h ef e n c e w h e n h e rose u p o n h i s h in df e e t to gesture at a loose horse thatc a me u p in t h e roa d ou t s id e t h ep a s t u r e .W e l l , w e g o t some bot t l ed p u r -p le s t u f f a t t h e store a n d d a u b e d it

o n t h e d e e p c u t . B e c a u s e o f t h em e d i c i n e , o r -i n spite o f i t , a n dd e s p i t e t h e u n p r o f e s s io n a l i s m o ft h e d o c t o r s , th e w o u n d h e a l e d .In a couple o f w e e k s , I rod eS a m .B U T THIS good h o s e w a s n ' t o u tof th e wood s y et .W h e n a f e l l o w w a s h ere to sh oeth e h orses ( t h a t ' s a n oth er $ 2 5 t o$ 4 0 ) h e f o u n d t h a t S a m w i n c e dw h e n h is l e f t h o o f w a s r a i s e d . Aclose l o o k s h o w e d th e l e f t f r o n tk n e e w a s slightly swollen, a n d w eobserved th a t h e f a v o r e d it a l i t t l e ,w a l k i n g .T h e f a r r i e r s u g g e s t e d l i n i m e n t ,a n d w e ' v e b e e n d a u b i n g i t o n .I w a s t e l li n g a n e x p e r i e n c e dh orsema n a bou t i t a t t h e store. Th el i n i m e n t , h e sa id , w o u l d p roba blyd o n o g o o d , b u t w e should g o a h e a da n d p u t i t o n a s i t w o u l d b e g oodt h e r a p y f o r U S .Th e n ea res t vet er in a r i a n i s 40mi l es a wa y a n d we a ren ' t c er t a inw h e t h e r he w o u l d c ome h ere ors o m e h o w we'd h a ve t o g et Sa m toh i m .T o d a y , I a s k e d m y c l o s e s tn e i g h b o r , a p i o n e e r r a n c h e r .H e f e l t th e sore h orse k n ee. H esaid not to . w o r r y a b o u t a horsed o c t o r , w h o c ou ld d o n o m o r e t h a nn a tu re w a s g oin g t o d o f o r S a m ."He's h a d a k i c k or a sp ra in , a n dh e ' l l be O K. " h e sa id .I s h o o k h is h a n d a n d patted m yp o c k e t b p o k .I t h i n k m a y b e S a m h e a r d a n dU n d e r s t o o d . H e w a l k e d a w a y a n d Ic o u l d n o l on g er d et ec t a l i m p .

"The sales pitch is u su a l ly ,'Well , the Shore i s a nice a r e a , bu tt h e h omes ar e sma l l a n d y ou ' r ereally no t g et t in g y ou r mon ey 'swor th . Ha ve yo u ever t h ou g h t oflooki ng in Cerritos? Th e h omes a ren e w an d spacious a n d th e a r e a ha sg o o d schools '" P r e t t y soon the f a m i l y ha sbeen sold on m o v i n g to Cerritos."Cerritos i s i n L o s A n g e l e s C o u n -ty , w i t h it s w e s t e r n b o u n d a r y r ub -b i n g a g a in s t O ra n g e Cou n ty , w h i c his c on s id ered th e l a s t f ron t i er o ft r a c t h ome bu i ld in g i n the Sou th -l a n d .I n a s u r v e y o f eight Cerritosrea l esta te a g en t s , a l l a g reed th a tth ei r c i t y is "a u n i q u e a r e a " a n d ap l a c e w h e r e i n t e g r a ti o n h a s w o r k -e d. Cerritos w as v i e w e d a s a n a reaw h e r e "y ou c a n b e s o m e t h i n g d i f -f e r e n t a n d f e e l c o m f o r t a b l e w i t ht h a t d i f f e r e n c e . "A n o t h e r r ea l es t a t e a g en t , wh oa sk ed th a t h i s n a me be wi th h eld ,said, "1 had a ( b l a c k ) c l i en t wh o

wa s a l a wy er a n d h er h u sba n d h a da civil service j ob a n d th ey w e r e int h e m a r k e t f o r a n e w h o m e ."So, I took them around to allt h e p r ime a r e a s th e Sh ore, E lDora d o P a rk , Ala mi tos Heig h t s ,La k ewood Vi l l a g e. . . . Finally,a f t e r a bou t f o u r w e e k e n d s o f d r iv -in g a r o u n d , th e h u s b a n d t o o k m ea s id e a n d said t h a t h e a n d h i s w i f e' d i d n ' t f e e l c o m f o r t a b l e i n thosea r e a s . That 's w h e n we took a d r iveo u t to Cerritos."A c c o r d i n g t o M s . Cra wford ,"Cerritos is proof that people canl i v e t og eth er in h a r m o n y a n d pros-p e r ."As in oth er a rea s , p rop er tyv a l u e s i n Cerritos, w h i c h is a rela-t i v e ly n e w c i t y , h a v e b e e n s h o o t in gu p a t 1 0 p e r c en t p e r y ea r ." W h e n a b l a ck f a m i l y m o v e si n , t h e n e i g h bo r s d o n ' t m o a n ,'Th ere g oes t h e n eig h borh ood . ' In -s t ea d , t h ey j u s t c o n t i n u e t h e u p -k e e p o f t h e i r h o m e s w h i ch t h eyk n o w c a n on ly a p p rec i a t e in v a l u e

and get to know their new neigh-bors ," M s. Cra wford sa id ."The people of Cerritos h a v es u c c e s s f u l l y ru n th e word ' f e a r ' o utof t own a s a n c i en t r ea l es ta te histo-r y a n d y o u h a v e t o a d m i r e t h e m f o rit." Ba rry M a r g o , w h o is wh i t e , an dh is fa m i ly h a ve l ived in Cerritos fo rn i n e years. He calls the rac ia l h a r -m o n y t h a t exists in Cerritos "self-evolu t ion . ""W e a ll m o v e d to Cerritosa b o u t t h e sa m e t i m e , " M a r g o sa id ."Th e h ou ses we re n ew a n d th erew as a feel in g t h a t w e ' r e all in thistog eth er ." E v e r y o n e h a s t o l i v e s o m e -w h e r e a n d Cerritos seemed l ike a .g o o d a r e a . G o o d schools. Lots o fp a rk s . Th e h ou ses were l a rg e; a n dit wa s a g ood p l a c e t o r a i se af a m i l y ." E v e r y o n e ha s k e p t u p t h ei rh omes . Th e y a rd s ar e k ep t c l ea na n d wel l t rimme d . I don't think it'sa q u es t ion of r a c e . It's a people

D ON N I CH OL S ON ' S W A L R U S S C U L P T U R E J U D G E D " M O ST A R T I ST I C E N T R Y "- S t a f f P h o t o s b y R O B E R T G I N N

A s thousands watchSand sculptors end sea feteB y M I K E JELFSta WriterT h o u s a n d s o f spectators j a m -m e d t h e Ju n ip ero Ave n u e bea c hS u n d a y to wa tc h t emp ora ry sc u lp -tu res a p p ea r in the sand an d d isa p -p e a r a g a i n , a s t h e l l t h a n n u a lI n t e r n a t i o n a l Sea Fes t iva l d rew toa close.T h e sa n d -sc u lp tu re c on t es t , on eo f th e festival 's m o r e p op u la reven t s , sh a red th e d a y ' s bill ingw i t h a 2 9 1 6 - m i l e Ca ta l in a Ch a n n eld ory r a c e, a s w i m m e e t at A l a m i -tos Ba y a n d a wa tersk i in g contesta t M a r i n e S t a d i u m .Sc u lp tu res were as t emp ora rya s sa n d c a s t l es , wh ic h some were.Con s t ru c t ion beg a n a t n oon , j u d g -in g started at 2 p . m . a n d d es t ru c -t i o n a t t h e h a n d s of r a mbu n c t iou sc h i l d r e n beg a n sh or t ly a f t er 3 p . m.T h o u g h sc u lp t in g t ea ms sn a reda c o m m o n m e d i u m ( b e a c h s a n d )

a n d we re restricted to the use ofh a n d t ool s a n d s e a w a t e r , t h e i rc rea t ion s t ook a wid e va r i ety o ff o r m s .O n e w a s a d ep ic t ion in rel ief o fa soa r in g ba l loon , wi th th e l eg en d" A r o u n d t h e World i n 8 0 Da y s . "O t h e r en t r i es i n c lu d ed a c a n n iba l ' sm e a l c ook in g in a p o t , th e U . S.C a p i t o l , a g i a n t oc top u s , a sea s e r -p e n t , t w o V i k i n g l a n d ers o n M a r s ' a n d t h a t m o s t f a m o u s o f h u m a n o i dl e g u m e s , M r . P e a n u t .

P r e s i d e n t i a l p o l i t i c s r ea red it sh e a d a s t w o sep a ra t e el ep h a n t srep resen t in g Gera ld Ford r ea c h edth ei r t r u n k s t o w a r d tw o sep a ra t ep e a n u t s r e p r e s e n ti n g J i m m y C a rt -e r. A p r i z e en t ry i n t h e " m o s t

question," Margo c o n t i n u e d , "andCerritos is set up for people."Our children play with blackch i ldren . There's n ever been an yq u es tion a bou t t h a t . Lik e m osthomes in Southern California , weh a ve a six-foot fence around ou rba c k y a r d , so we're not exac t lyl ea n in g o v e r t h e f e n c e a n d e x -c h a n g in g rec ipes w i t h ou r n eig h -bors bla c k or wh i t e . Bu t , on t h eoth er h a n d , w e don ' t a void ea c ho t h e r , " M a r g o said."We're a n e w c o m m u n i t y . A n dw e c a n l ea rn f r o m th e mista k es o fo l d e r cities. Ra c e ha s n ever beena n issue here. A n d I w o r k in Cerri- tos. It's just no t on ly a place toc ome h ome to a t n ig h t . "R u t h Johnstone a n d h er fa mi lyl ive on e bloc k ea s t of t h e Ma rg oh o m e ."We've l ived here for a l i t t lem o r e t h a n t w o y e a r s , " Mrs. J o h n -s ton e, wh o i s bl a c k , sa id . "Myh u s b a n d work s at a securities of -f i c e i n Los An g el es a n d c ommu tes

every day." I think there were three basicreasons why we decided to move toCerritos. The homes are spacious,the schools are good, and the re-gional shopping center is nearby;."I k n o w what it's like to live inan all-black neighborhood. I grewu p in Compton," Mrs. Johnstoneadded. " M y husband -grew u p i nW a t ts . Cerritos is diverse. It's . ' ra-c i a l l y rich. It represents a break inol d racial prejudices and it's a' r co :n-c e p t a n d acceptance I want m yc h i l d r e n t o g r o w u p understand-i n g . "

D r. E u g e n e Tucker , super in -t e n d e n t o f t h e A B C Unified SchoolDistrict , which serves Cerritos an dArtesia , calls th e r a c e r e l a t i o n s - a"ra re balance ." ."I 've n ever seen a c ommu n i tyth a t h a s su c h a n even ba l a n c e a n dd i s t r i b u t i o n of all racial g r o u p s , "

(Turn to Pag e B-4, Col. 1)

P R E S S T E L E G R A MM O N . , A U G U S T 23,1976-SEC. B, P A G E 1

Citizens helpingin city planning

S W E E P S T A K E S W I N N E RC h u c k D a v i s ' lobster

a r t i s t i c , c ommerc ia l" c a t eg ory w asF u k u h a r a P h otog ra p h y 's "Min d lessM e d i a , " a sc u lp tu re d ep ic t in g ag i a n t h a n d d r a g g i n g a w o m a n i n t oa t e l ev i s ion se t .R i c h a r d F u k u h a r a ' s g r o u p ,w e a r i n g " M i n d l e s s M e d i a " T--sh i r t s, p rov id e d a ba c k d rop for t h esc u lp tu re , a s d id severa l h el iu m-f i l l e d ba l loon s b ea r in g th e titles o ft e l e v i s i o n p rog ra ms th e sc u lp torsd e t e s tA n c i e n t sc u lp tu ra l i n f lu en c esc o u l d b e d isc ern ed in B r i a n L i e -vens' "Sands o f T i m e , " a r ep l i c a o fa n E g y p ti a n p h a r a o h 's m u m m yc a se.Sh or t ly before th e sand sculp-tors beg a n d ig g in g in the i r 2 0 - f o o t -square plots, the first dory arriveda t Sea p or t Vi l l a g e a f t er c ross in gth e Ca ta l in a Ch a n n el f rom I s th mu sC o v e .Stev e Hei fer a n d L a r r y M o o r e ,b o t h o f O c e a n s i d e , f i n i s h e d t h e N a -t i o n a l Dory ma n 's Assoc ia t ion - sp on -sored race in 5 h ou rs , 3 min u tes .T h e y w e r e f o l l o w e d b y Sou thB a y c o u n t y l i fe g u a r d s B o bSc h rod er a n d Bob Moore, wi th asec on d -p l a c e t ime o f 5 h ou rs , 1 8m i n u t e s .T h i r d were c ou n ty l i feg u a rd sH e n r y Stuart a n d M i k e M a i r r y o fM a n h a t t a n B e a c h , w i t h a t i m e o f 5h o u r s , 2 1 m i n u t e s .

By M A R Y ELLIS CARLTONUrban A f f a i r s EditorUrban des igners on c e were de -f i n e d a s p rofession a ls wh o k n ew th eanswers to a lot of q u es t ion s t h a tn o on e a s k e d .But today involved cit izens ar ea sk in g th ose q u es t ion s . A n d , i nsome ins tances , t h ey a re h elp in g

or a t t emp t in g t o h elp u rba np la n n ers c o m e u p w i t h t h e a n -swers.A n ex a mp le in Lon g Beach isth e ci t izens ' review c o m m i t t e e fo rSEADIP (Sou th ea s t Area Develop -m e n t an d Imp rovemen t P l a n ) . Itschairperson is Jan Hal l , p res identof th e College P a r k Es tates H o m e -owners Associat ion.I n J u n e w h e nrepresentat ives of e ig h t n eig h bor -'hood groups first m et with cityplanners and a r e a developers tothrash o u t d i f feren c es o v e r p r o -posed land uses fo r 55 1 acres ofundeveloped l a n d i n E a s t Lon gBeach the re were more q u es -t ions than answers.The cl imate was one of bit terconfrontat ion, wi th a n g ry a r e a resi-dents pit ted against developers an dcity planners over proposed densi-t ies and unsolved t r a f f i c p roblems.It a p p ea red th a t th e process toreach su c h p l a n n in g d ec i s ion s att h e g ra ssroot s l evel w ou ld n otw o r k .B u t at the group's sixth studysession, held last Thursday, i t wasbec omin g a p p a ren t t h a t , t h ou g h th echoices involved are painful ones,t h ere c a n be some g ive-a n d - t a k ew h e n op p os in g forc es m e e t t o ex -c h a n g e c on f l i c tin g v i ewp o in t s.Somet imes th ey ma y ex c h a n g erol es , a s Na p les Imp rovemen t A s-s o c i a t i o n sp ok esma n Tom Seegerd id Th u rsd a y n ig h t .A l t h o u g h t h e SEADIP s tu d y ,a l l o w i n g densit ies o f from 6 . 5 t o 2 2dwell ing units pe r a c r e , al ready isin p r in ted form, Seeg er bec a mep l a n n e r - f p r - a - n i g h t an d presentedhis own ideas for the undevelopeda r e a s eas t of Ma r in e St a d iu m a n ds o u t h of Seven th S t r e e tHi s " Single -Fami ly ResidentialP a r k " plan would allow only 6.5d w e l l i n g units pe r a c r e wh ic h , hes a i d , wou ld genera te less t h a n 100a u tomobi l e trips p e r d a y p e r a c r e .It wou ld p rov id e p a rk - l ik e op ensp a c es wi th s treet access only toth e r e a r o f cluster-type residentialc omp lex es .There w o u l d b e w a t e r o r i e n t a -t i o n wh ere p oss ibl e , b ik e a n d w a l k -in g trails, recreational facil i t ies,m o m - a n d - p o p n eig h borh ood mar-

k e t s a n d o n l y s m a l l service-oriented businesses." You 've g o t t o t h i n k a b o u tw h e r e w e c a m e f r o m , " he said."This concern (over high-densi tyd evelop men ts i n t h e a rea ) rose ou tof th e p r o b l e m o f t r a f f i c ."W e d o n ' t w a n t an y crosstownt r a f f i c or traffic corr idors throughpur neighborhoods," he said, a d d -i n g , "Y ou c a n ' t work o n o n e a s p e c t( l a n d u s e ) wi th ou t consider ing th eoth er ( t r a f f i c impact) . They are in -separable ."He maintained dens i ty f iguresallowed in the S E A D I P study couldon ly a d d u p t o even worse t r a f f i c a tth e ci ty 's wors t traffic bot t lenecks the Pacific Coast Highway-Bel l -f l o w e r Boulevard-Seventh Stree ttr iangle a n d t h e Pacific C o a s tHighway-Second Street -W es tmin-s ter A v e n u e intersection. :

(Turn to Page B-4 , Col. 1) .

Meters eyedfor SunsetBeach strip

Threatened with loss of statef u n d s unless some local r e v e n u e isgenerated b y t h e Sunset B e a c hp a rk in g s t r i p , O r a n g e C o u n t ysupervisors m ay disclose Tuesdayt h a t t h ey ' r e " t h in k in g p a r k i n gm et e r s . "That's ba d n ews for Sunset'Beach res idents , w h o m a d e i t plainin 1971 that they d o n ' t w a n t m e t e r son th e strip.C o u n t y superv isors agreed n1969 to p r e p a r e a "linear p a r k " a'ndpark ing lo t on the narrow strip ofr i ght-o f -way o w n e d by th e PacificElec t r ic R a i l w a y , w h i c h s l i c e dthrough th e Sunset Beach settle-m e n t .W h e n it o p e n e d , t h e r e w e r ep a r k i n g meters on t h e 67 4 p a rk in gstalls.In short order , some m e t e r sd isa p p ea red , some were d a ma g ed ,some were p lu g g ed a n d n on e wereloved.

D e l e g a t i o n s o f Su n set Bea c hres id en t s d esc en d ed on th e su p erv i -sors , p l ea d in g for u n res t r i c t ed us eo f th e p a r k i n g l o t i n a n a r e a w h e r eo f f - s t r e e t p a rk in g i s n on -ex i s t en ta n d on -s t r eet p a rk in g i s pract ical lypriceless.

Skip-creditors boost prices, collector saysB y T I M B U R TS t a f f W r i te r

S o u t h l a n d res idents w ho m o v ea n d l ea ve c red i tors w i t h u n p a i db i l l s a r e boosting th e cost o f l i v i n gfo r oth ers , th e p res id en t o f a L a k e -w o o d c o l l e c t i o n a g en c y bel i eves ."Such services as hospital careh a v e h a d t o b e i n c rea sed to m a k eu p f o r t h e u n p a i d bills ," said A n t o -n io In oc en t es o f t h e A m e r i c a nR e t r i e v a l C o r p o r a t i o n , 2 7 3 5 E . Car-so n S t."Th e on es wh o a re s u f f e r i n ga re t h e on es wh o p a y th ei r b i l l s ,"said In oc en t es , w h o e s t i m a t e d t h a tcosts a r e u p a s m u c h as 2 5 per c e n tbec a u se o f "skipping."In oc en t es ba sed hi s op in ion ona rec en t su rvey by th e A m e r i c a nC o l l e c t o r s A s s o c ia t io n , w h i c h r e -p or t ed t h a M i l O O m i l l i o n o f u n p a i d

bills were l e f t fo r creditors n a t i o n -w i d e e a c h m o n t h in 1975."This could mean nearly 35,000s k i p p e d bills t o t a l i n g $3.5 m i l l i o nf o r L o s A n g e l e s C o u n t y e a c hm o n t h ."People should accept responsi -b i l i t y f o r t h e i r o w n a c t ion s a n dm a i n t a i n th e ba s ic c od es o f p erson -a l i n t eg r i t y . Th ose w h o sk ip o u t o ntheir bil ls are also skipping out onth e f u n d a m e n t a l t ru s t t h a t i s t h ek ey to p u r c red i t soc i ety ," In o-c en t es sa id .B u t m a n y p e o p l e d o n ' t a c c e p tt h e r esp on s ibi l i t y . I n oc en t es a n dh i s s t a f f d e a l w i t h a b o u t 4 , 0 0 0 d e b t -ors a week . He es t ima tes t h e a g en -c y h a s a c on s t a n t f l o w o f 5 0 , 0 0 0u n p a i d a c c ou n t s ."Th ere a re m a n y p eop le wh og o t o e x t r a o r d i n a r y l e n g t h s to

cover their tracks in o r d e r to suc-c e s s f u l l y c h e a t t h e i r credi tors ,"In oc en t es sa id .U s u a l l y a c red i tor wi l l wa i t fo rf o u r t o . f i v e mon th s before r e f e r r i n gth e a c c ou n t to the a g en c y , wh ic h iso n e o f a b o u t 2 0 su c h org a n iz a t ion sc o m p e t i n g fo r bu s in ess i n L o s A n -g el es Cou n ty , I n oc en t es sa id .T h e n th e sea rc h beg in s to traceth e d ebtor W o r k i n g wi th a c en t ra l -i z e d c o m p u t e r s y s t e m , th e s t a f f a t-t emp ts t o l oc a t e t h e d ebtor .B u t e v e n w h e n t h a t p erson i sl o c a t e d , t h ere a re n o a ssu ra n c es h eo r s h e w i l l p a y t h e bill."Th ey a lwa y s d en y th a t t h eyo w e m o n e y , " I n o c e n t e s s a i d ." M a n y o f t h em c u ss a t u s a n d t h i n kt h a t b y b e c o m i n g i r a t e a t th e p e o -p l e w h o c a l l , th e p roblem w i l l b ee l i m i n a t e d . "

Bec a u se n o n p a y m e n t o f bills isu s u a l l y n ot a c r imin a l of fen se, t h ea g e n c y c a n on ly u s e th e th rea t o f ac i v i l lawsuit or of putt ing the p e r -so n on a bad-credit l ist , whic h lend-in g o r g a n i z a t i o n s c h e c k w h e ng ra n t in g c r ed i t

B u t m a n y o f t h e persons claimt o b e o n w e l f a r e a n d s a y t h ey a r eu n a b l e t o p a y t h e bills because theyar e f i n a n c i a l l y t rou bled , e l imin a t -i n g t h e possibil i ty o f r ec over in ga n y asse ts i n a l a wsu i t , I n oc en t ess a i d .A m a j o r source o f n o n p a y m e n tc o m e s f r o m h osp i t a l ex p en ses , h ea d d ed , "esp ec i a l l y emerg en c y -r o o m c a ses , wh ere th e p eop le , w h oc a n ' t a f f o r d t o p a y f o r t h e e x -p en ses , a r e ^ t a k e n o ff th e s treet ."

A d d i t i o n a l credit problems re-sult f rom u n p a id credi t -card costsa n d large telephone bills."These people p i l e up l a r g ep h o n e bills a t one locat ion, thenm o v e on to a n o t h e r , " h e sa id .In oc en t es c l a ims h i s org a n iz a -t i o n recovers a bou t 3 5 p er c en t ofth e u n p a id a c c ou n t s .Rec overy bec omes even morec o m p l e x w h e n d e a l i n g w i t h e x-spouses and i ra te in-laws, he said."One d a u g h t e r - i n - l a w g a v e m eh e r f a t h e r - in - l a w ' s b u s i n e s s a d -d r e s s a n d p h o n e n u m b e r a n da d d e d , 'Tell h i m t o sen d th e m o n e yh e o w e s u s f o r h a n d l i n g h is d el in -q u e n t bills m a { J , e d here . ' "