Candidates’ forum draws less than full house

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- Only seven of 11 candidates running for City Council

showed up this week to answer questions at the Mesa North Community Assn.

candidates forum.

Councilwoman Libby Cowan, Joel Faris, William Perkins, Karen Robinson,

Councilwoman Heather Somers, Chris Steel and Dan Worthington made

statements about their candidacy.

Residents asked questions about a variety of city issues, including

housing, traffic and the West Side.

Several focused on housing and asked the candidates for new ideas.

Somers said she would strive toward fulfilling the city’s housing

plan, which calls for high-density housing in the city’s remaining open

space, and Cowan said she is in favor of seeking regional and statewide

solutions.

Perkins said he favors using vacated sites for housing, while Steel

said he backs replacing high-density apartments on the West Side with

low-density senior housing.

An example Perkins gave was the idea of using the city’s National

Guard site, soon to be vacated, for senior housing.

Worthington said he supports converting businesses into housing once

they begin to move out of the city because workers won’t be able to find

affordable housing.

And Faris pointed out that the need for housing is the result of other

cities, such as Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, not building their

fair share of appropriate housing.

Steel and Faris also offered their opinions on the city’s Job Center,

which is a place for day laborers and employers to meet.

Steel said the center should be closed, or at least moved into the

business district and funded by businesses.

Faris disagreed that it should be closed, but said the city should

charge a fee to make the center self-sufficient.

“A man has to work, but the city shouldn’t be paying for it,” he said.

The next candidates forum will be sponsored by the Latino Business

Council from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Neighborhood Community Center,

1845 Park Ave., Costa Mesa.

For more information, call (714) 885-9090.