READERS RESPOND -- How should city deal with affordable housing?

Councilman Chris Steel is quoted as saying, “We have to get serious

about the people we are letting live here.” That is not exactly the sort

of statement I would expect from someone who, in his capacity as an

elected official, should be upholding certain principles.

I have been a resident of Costa Mesa for more than 35 years, and I am

now concerned that Steel’s pronouncement reflects the views of more than

just a few Costa Mesa voters. Otherwise, how the heck did this guy get

elected as one of our councilmen?

I gather he must have a list of personal assets that he feels is

criteria for residency in Costa Mesa. I really would like him to let us

all know what the specifics of those requirements might be. Hey, I may no

longer be qualified for residency here, and I would like reasonable

notice before my family and I are asked to leave.

This situation is, at best, disappointing to me, but it would be even

more so if I discovered that Steel’s views in this matter are supported

by any more than a small minority of property owners or residents of this

great community.

BILL BRANNICK

Costa Mesa

My family and I are outraged and humiliated by Steel’s comments. And

the fact that he seems oblivious to the underlying un-American,

undemocratic, immoral and antisocial aspects of this kind of thinking is

appalling.

We hope the rest of the council maintains reason and dignity as they

rebuff these assaults on the poor, minorities, and those who have fallen

on hard times or who don’t have as much as he does.

JACK REIDLING

Costa Mesa

In a way, it’s kind of exciting.

I grew up in Costa Mesa, a town I enjoyed for its diversity and mix of

ethnic and economic groups. As a child, I went to Costa Mesa churches and

schools. Once, I marched in the Fish Fry Parade. In college, I worked at

South Coast Plaza and Edwards Cinemas. After earning my doctorate in

comparative literature from Penn State University, I returned to teach at

a small college in my warm, pleasant hometown. I am now chair of the

English Department at Vanguard University, located next door to the

Police Department and City Hall.

What’s so exciting? I have just discovered that I am an undesirable

element. And here I thought that I had been such a boring, law-abiding

citizen that my presence in Costa Mesa would be, if not appreciated,

unnoticed by my fellow citizens.

You see, Vanguard is a small Christian college, and, as such, does not

pay its employees in a particularly lavish manner. The result is that my

husband and I are careful with our money and place a high premium on

affordable housing.

That’s right, we live in affordable housing. According to Councilman

Steel, that means that we are exactly the sort of people Costa Mesans

should seek to exclude.

After all, we vote, we shop in Costa Mesa and our landlord uses the

money we pay him to pay local property taxes. We are involved in the

community of Costa Mesa through our local church and through my

employment at a school that has been in Costa Mesa for half a century.

Most of my students become teachers in area schools.

Steel sees us, and other working families like us, as a threat to

Costa Mesa. I disagree: We are Costa Mesa.

We have chosen this town because we want to be part of a growing,

vibrant community. We don’t want to live in identical houses behind

locked gates; we want to live in the neighborhoods we grew up in, to go

to local libraries, to plant gardens, to know our neighbors, to take

walks. Steel wants to put a price on the admission to Costa Mesa; if

allowed to do so, he will destroy what makes this town unique in Orange

County.

KELLY C. WALTER CARNEY

Costa Mesa

My husband and I own a home in Costa Mesa by the Newport Beach border

at the Back Bay. We agree with Chris Steel’s position with respect to

housing in Costa Mesa. The city consists of prime coastal real estate and

the affordable housing on the Westside serves only to drive down the

quality of life in the city and depress property values citywide.

There is abundant affordable housing in such nearby communities as

Santa Ana. Why maintain a barrio-by-the-sea? To permit the Westside to

exist in its current form serves only to undermine Costa Mesa’s potential

to be an affluent coastal community on the border of Newport Beach.

Instead of maintaining the barrio neighborhoods on the Westside, the

city should rezone and rebuild those areas as prime residential real

estate. This would serve only to increase income to the city, attract

more upscale businesses and increase the quality of life in Costa Mesa.

The entire city suffers due to the influence of the Westside.

For example, Newport Beach neighborhoods adjacent to mine enjoy

thorough police patrols and protection; whereas the Costa Mesa police do

not bother to make routine patrols of my neighborhood because all of

their time and energy is concentrated on Newport Boulevard and points

west. Increased city revenue could be well used to increase and improve

police services and schools.

By eradicating the barrio neighborhoods on the Westside, the entire

city would enjoy increased revenue, property values and community safety,

a lower crime rate, and higher quality schools.

GRETCHEN CRUMPACKER

Costa Mesa

I was very disappointed to read Councilman Steel’s comments. As a

city, we have a legal obligation to the state (see the Costa Mesa general

plan housing element, June 5) and a moral obligation to provide as much

affordable housing in our city as possible. Affordable housing is not

slum or rundown housing.

It has to meet all the existing city building codes. It is badly

needed in our community since the housing prices are so high that many of

our fellow citizens who work here cannot afford to live here. That so

many of the people who work here have to commute from long distances is

why the traffic on our local streets and the Costa Mesa Freeway is so bad

during the commuting hours.

If you would look at the statistics on income needed to live in Costa

Mesa in the above-mentioned housing element, you would realize that even

many professional people such as teachers and nurses cannot afford to

live here.

Wouldn’t you rather have the teachers of our children as neighbors?

The high cost of housing also makes it impossible for many retired senior

citizens to live in our community. Do we want to force our elderly people

out of our community?

I also believe that if the people who work in our city live here that

they will have a greater interest in making our city a better place for

us all. I would rather work with or buy from people who are my neighbors.

PAUL D. KELLY

Costa Mesa

Steel’s approach as to who should be living in Costa Mesa was very

distressing to us. It seems that the responsibility of a councilman is to

see to it that the quality of life for all residents is maximized to the

best of the whole community’s ability. That would include making sure

that apartment owners keep their property in good condition like they

would their own home. It would include seeing to it that there is

affordable housing so that local residents include those who hold jobs in

the area. Time spent in long commutes reduces quality of life

considerably.

Housing is critical but schools that enable all children to learn and

flourish is a tremendously valuable part of our community investment too.

Look at the work of Gladys Green, director of the preschool program at

Whittier School, and you will see what is really important in a

community. Those families need a safe, clean, functioning place to live.

To think that any one of us is entitled to live in just a community

for richer people doesn’t fit in the real world. What is “richer” anyway?

Is it just what money can buy? Aren’t there many, many other forms of

“riches”? Intellect? Artistic gifts? Spiritual inspiration? Ingenuity?

Inventiveness? I hope Steel’s view is not really representative of this

community.

JIM AND JUDY TRACY

Newport Beach

Matthew 25:40: “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I

say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these

my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Matthew 25:45: “Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto

you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it

not to me.”

It is not clear to me how Steel came to understand that poor people

are bad and/or of lesser value than he is. What is clear to me is that

wealthy people count money and possessions as only one very small piece

of their wealth. They are usually smart enough to be humble and

respectful of the needs of others. They value relationships at the top of

their list of important things in their lives.

The quality of life is like a chain. Unless we do something to

strengthen the weakest links, we have a series of short and useless

pieces of chain instead of one that is long and valuable.

It may not be apparent to all but some of the poor people went off to

war and fought for our right to think and say what we want. They came

back traumatized by what they had seen and experienced, and for some, are

unable to maintain employment as a result. I guess that leaves them out

as well, right?

On the topic of charities: We can probably eliminate the churches as

soon as we get rid of the charities. After all, they open their doors to

all who will listen and that might include some people who are only

eligible for affordable housing. Where does it end?

PAUL CURTIS

Newport Beach

Recall. Recall. Recall. Steel has embarrassed the city of Costa Mesa.

Property values over human values? And, any city council member that is

not ashamed to sit with this kind of discriminatory statement from one of

its members should go too.

DAN MILLSTEIN

Costa Mesa

Normally, I’d sit down and write you guys a letter, but I’m so

infuriated after reading Steel’s comment about getting serious about the

people we’re letting live here.

My only comment to add is, I think he’s right, and I think he’s

exactly the type of person we need to eliminate.

When did we become such a self-righteous, elite neighborhood that

we’ve decided who should and shouldn’t have the right to live near us?

And, quite honestly, I find him more offensive than anyone who can’t

afford the $1,300 a month apartment rent. It’s unbelievable that he would

even have the audacity to say that in a community meeting.

MEG TWEEDY

Costa Mesa