MAILBAG -- Readers voice views about Costa Mesa’s West Side

As a new West Side homeowner, I am tired of the newspapers and the

city always using negative terms when speaking of the West Side of Costa

Mesa. Doesn’t anyone understand that by always referring to the West Side

as blighted, poor or crime-ridden that will make it hard for things to

change because of other perceptions? Yes, the West Side is in need of a

face lift. Yes, it does have more low-income people living there than

other areas. Yes, we do have some crime, but what area doesn’t? When I

lived in a condo in Newport, I saw police there all the time. My

mother-in-law lives in Dover Shores and there have been police at a house

across the street more times than I can count. Crime can be anywhere.

A few months ago we bought a house on the West Side, because we wanted

a house with a yard for our son to run and play in. If we wanted to live

on the East Side or Newport we could not afford a house with a yard. We

have a wonderful Realtor, who also lives on the West Side who suggested

we look at a fixer/foreclosure on the West Side. Though we were

skeptical, we went ahead and looked. We are very glad we did. We found a

four-bedroom, 1 3/4 bath, two-car garage home, with a large yard for

under $200,000. We never would have found that on the East Side.

Before going forward we talked to neighbors; we drove the streets on

different days and at different times; we went to the fire department to

ask if they made many calls to the neighborhood; we went to the police

station and checked the action logs; and we found it to be a very quiet

and “diverse” neighborhood. Unlike many people, we know many of our

neighbors and have found that most take great pride in their properties

and neighborhood. We also noticed many other homes being purchased and

remodeled. Since living here there has been an annual neighborhood Fourth

of July party. We have had birthday parties with our neighbors’ children.

We watch out for each other. And, to top it off, in the past few months

we have lived here, only once have I seen a police car on our street, and

it wasn’t for anything.

So to those of you who want to stay in the Newport-Mesa area and want

to buy a home, and cannot afford the East Side or Newport, look on the

West Side. There are many nice little West Side neighborhoods, with very

nice size homes, and many nice families of all nationalities and economic

levels living here. Our banker called the West Side the undiscovered

area, with many values. She was right.

To others who speak negatively of the West Side: stop generalizing.

Those of us who live here and take pride in our properties and

neighborhoods are tired of the negativity. You will go much farther in

revitalizing the entire West Side and drawing new home buyers by speaking

in positive terms.

DAWN BOWE

West Side Costa Mesa

Latino community feels slighted by city officials

For the past several weeks, Costa Mesa city officials have been

publicly decrying the lack of Latino involvement in planning the proposed

West Side redevelopment. Your article hit the nail on the head when it

mentioned past mistreatment. I believe that Costa Mesa has a history of

anti-Latino policies. Now, after completing their study of what to do

with the West Side, they’ve decided to do another study and find out who

actually lives on the West Side. It’s yet another slap at the Latino

community and as far as I’m concerned, the last straw.

JOHN LOPEZ

Costa Mesa