Homeowners Deny Sending Anti-Gay Flyer

Studio City homeowners Tuesday night defused a growing dispute with gay merchants by disavowing a mystery flyer that urged that “homosexuals . . . and social sickness groups” be ousted from the community.

Leaders of the Studio City Residents Assn. told members of the Valley Business Alliance, a homosexual group, that the flyer was attached to bogus association newsletters mailed anonymously to hundreds of residents this month.

In the future, the association will send copies of all genuine newsletters directly to the alliance, association President Polly Ward said.

In exchange, the merchants group will give homeowners a free booth at their 10th annual Pioneer Days gay-rights celebration Oct. 1-2 in Studio City, alliance President John Maceri said.

The pledges of improved communication came as both groups acknowledged in a private meeting with city officials that they will probably never learn who mailed the flyer, which urged residents to “eliminate perversion” by closing “businesses that attract non-desirables to Studio City.”

Ward said her group will continue to oppose the expansion of a controversial gay bathhouse in Studio City--although it does not object to its legal operation.

“I think the homeowners have good intentions,” said Michael Niemeyer, who operates the Apache bar, one of about a dozen gay bars in Studio City. “We just wanted them to know this is our community too.”