I'm not around to discuss so-called affordable housing in Claremont, but if I were, I'd just have a series of questions to ask the town's elders. 

But before I begin, it's best you know where I'm coming from. I'm generally opposed to affordable housing because it ends up distorting the local economy. As per usual, my intellectual influence, Thomas Sowell, puts it best.

What they[, the politicians who support so-called affordable housing,] are saying and doing usually boils down to trying to enable people to choose what housing they want first-- and then have some law or policy where somebody else, somewhere else, somehow or other, makes that housing "affordable" for them...

 The ultimate irony is that increasing government intervention in the housing market over the years has generally made housing less affordable than before, by any standard.

A hundred years ago, Americans spent a smaller percentage of their incomes on housing than they do today. In 1901, housing costs took 23 percent of the average American's income. By 2003, it took 33 percent of a far larger income.

For California, Sowell described in a Reason Magazine interview that  in some areas, including California—coastal California—people were paying half their family income to put a roof over their head. That in turn was a result of local political people putting all sorts of restrictions on building."

 So I turn now to our friends in Claremont, CA politics. Are they aware that there are statistically higher rates of crime in areas with affordable housing? Are they also aware of the distortions to housing market that affordable housing does? If so, why are they go along with the plan? If they are unaware, maybe it's time to educate them. I recommend Sowell's lastest book, The Housing Boom and Bust. I'm nearly finished and its great. In fact, if they wait until I get back to campus, I'd be more than happy to give it to all of them. 

Pitzer Kid Stops Robber By Tackling Him!

Possibly the coolest Pitzer kid ever? He gets this CMCer's nod of approval.

Just remember that Eric Yingling CMC '12 was J-Boarded for doing what amounts to the same thing: subduing a thief. And our current vice president, Josh Siegel, was behind that J-Boarding. 

And here's the link with the story.

Former Claremont High wrestler stops alleged suspect

Wes Woods II, Staff Writer

Created: 05/22/2009 04:34:10 PM PDT

CLAREMONT - A former Claremont High School wrestling captain on Wednesday morning used his mat skills to pin a stolen car suspect to the ground.

Gabriel Acosta, 25, drove in a stolen car from West Covina to Claremont, before he exited and ran through some residential backyards, according to the California Highway Patrol.

He was stopped by Zack Lester.

Lester, 22, a Pitzer College student, said he was inside his converted-garage room on Geneva Avenue about 2 a.m. when he heard a helicopter in the southern portion of Claremont.

Lester said he was awaken by the helicopter and decided to listen to music and surf the Internet.

"At one point, I saw the light flashing in the yard and thought `Wow, that's really close,"' Lester said.

Lester said he then heard someone jump into the backyard.

"I could hear him walking through the backyard. He broke part of the fence" to get inside a neighbor's backyard, Lester said.

Lester called the Claremont Police Department and provided his address.

"I was panicked and scared," Lester said. "Then I see him walk by my window, which is a few feet between he and I. I watched him walk and try to pry open the doors on the main house, which really scared me."

While Lester was in the converted garage, his mother and brother were asleep in the main house with the doors locked.

"I was scared he was going to hurt my mom and my brother," Lester said. "I got to grab him before."

Lester stands 6 feet and 210 pounds. The alleged stolen car thief is 5-feet-9 inches tall and weighs 150 to 160 pounds.

"I ran outside and tackled him," Lester said. "We got in a brief fight, but I subdued him. He stopped fighting back. Then I told him to lie on his stomach and I twisted his arm behind him."

Police broke through the fence and ran in with shotguns drawn, he said.

"I held him until the cops grabbed him," he said.

Lester said he was later told by authorities that Acosta had a knife. That information could not be confirmed.

Lester, who hosts the 88.7 KSPC-FM radio show Lovelectric, is now having second thoughts about his actions.

"If I had thought about it, I would have stayed in my room. The house was locked. I wasn't really thinking clearly I guess," he said.

Claremont police Lt. Paul Davenport said the Police Department received a call at 2:24 a.m. Wednesday that the CHP was in pursuit of a stolen vehicle and the driver had fled in the area of Mountain and San Jose avenues.

"There was some sort of confrontation between the person calling us and the suspect," Davenport said.

The entire incident started at 2:05 a.m. Wednesday when CHP officers tried to stop a 1989 Toyota Camry in West Covina for a possible driving under the influence violation, Public Affairs Officer Edmund Zorrilla said.

Acosta's Camry continued eastbound and and exited Vincent Avenue in West Covina. The vehicle made a "sudden evasive move to the left" and accelerated rapidly down the east 10 Freeway, Zorrilla said.

The Camry then went to Indian Hill Boulevard, exited and went north from the freeway to Claremont into residential areas, Zorrilla said

The Camry went southbound on Mountain Avenue from San Jose Avenue and the car came to a stop at a dead end.

Acosta allegedly climbed a fence and took officers on a foot pursuit.

Thanks to a Los Angeles County sheriff's helicopter, Acosta was spotted jumping into people's backyards and hiding there until Lester struggled and fought with Acosta, until Acosta was arrested.

Acosta is a parolee from previous burglary and was arrested on suspicion of evading, driving a stolen vehicle as well as suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

The pursuit was over 12 miles and the incident lasted an hour to an hour-and-a-half, Zorrilla said.

Lester said he was captain of the Claremont High School wrestling team during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. He graduated from the school in 2005.

"I've always been confident around physical altercations because of my wrestling background," Lester said. "But I never thought I would do something like this. I referee high school wrestling during the season to stay in shape and earn extra money."

Lester's father, Greg Lester, 55, of Covina, said he is and proud of his son's actions.

"I just thought it was cool he used his wrestling skills to subdue the guy," Greg Lester said. "I guess he picked up the guy, slammed him and started hitting him and held him" until the police respond.

"I'm really proud of him. I thought he thought quickly and made the right decision."

Pat Morris, a Los Angeles County sheriff's air support helicopter pilot and resident of Claremont, said he could see Lester's actions from his helicopter.

Morris said he would not recommend Lester's actions to others, but "he did the right thing," because Acosta was trying to break in the house with Zack's mother.

Davenport said he did not have much information about the case, but, "If that can be avoided, and they can call us and let us handle it, it's much safer for them."

"We don't want people to get involved at the risk of getting hurt ... thank God the victim, he was not hurt," Zorrilla said.