Dear Editor: 

I agree with Lawrence Christon that the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times missed the mark by calling Downey “the Mexican Beverly Hills.” It should have been called “the Latino Beverly Hills.”

My family and I have lived in Downey for 39 years. I am of Mexican ethnicity, but there are also people of diverse Latin ethnicities, Cubans, Peruvians and other Latin American countries living in Downey. We moved to Downey for three reasons: 1. We could afford to own a home here, 2. The school system was good, and 3. Downey furnished a safer environment than the surrounding cities.

Mr. Christon claims there is no fine dining restaurants in Downey. Has he dined at Benihana’s or Gaucho Grill? The average price per person is $50.

Downey has two hospitals, the Stonewood mall, the Promenade, Downey Landing and various markets where I can find pretty much anything I need. Downey has the space museum and a soon-to-open state of the art library.

As Latinos have become more economically upwardly mobile, we see Downey as a good place of choice to live.

I believe Mr. Christon takes the term “Beverly Hills” too literally.

So yes, given I grew up in Boyle Heights in Los Angeles; Downey is my “Beverly Hills.”

Art Nevarez
Downey