Editorial

The Costa Mesa City Council made the right decision this month when it

essentially scrapped its plans for revitalizing the Westside.

Although a lot of time and work went into the 2-year-old plan, too

often the proper focus and effort just was not there.

There was the failure to invite some 1,600 business owners to a

crucial meeting in August 1999. And many of them didn’t receive the

letter from the city apologizing for that oversight.

There were questions about whether members of the Planning Commission

would be able to vote on the plan because they either lived or owned

property in the area. There was debate about a moratorium on construction

in the area.

And, of course, there was the months-long delay on delivering the

draft.

The combination of these distractions tainted the plan too much. And

nothing less than the best plan possible is acceptable. Improving the

Westside is that important.

The City Council race proved what a hot, emotional issue the Westside

is. It also showed what a divisive one it unfortunately could become.

Yes, the Westside needs to be cleaned up.

Yes, there needs to be more homeownership and the civic pride it

fosters.

Yes, Westside businesses could be modified to benefit all of those who

live and work there.

But, no, that doesn’t mean systematically removing the people who live

there in rundown apartments simply because they are of Latino descent.

Instead, the focus should be on those apartments buildings owned by

neglectful and absentee landlords, who must share the the blame for the

blight.

That removal “solution” was bandied about during the campaign. It

should never be mentioned again.

The council needs to make sure that only the best intentions go into

putting together a revitalization plan for the area that would help all

residents. And that means that no anti-Latino sentiment can be part of

the discussion.

The city could take a cue from Anaheim, which is using bond money not

to eliminate low-income housing in that city’s blighted Jeffrey-Lynne

neighborhood but instead to rehabilitate them.

The Jeffrey-Lynne program will offer home-ownership possibilities to

low-income families in addition to rents that will remain at levels

approved by the government. Either way, the homes will be fresh and

clean, a place one can live in with pride.

In addition to the residential concerns, certain changes clearly need

to be made in the business community. Merchants and retailers should

strive for the hometown feel that is consistent with the rest of Costa

Mesa. Businesses that don’t belong in or fit with the new Westside

scheme, should be moved out to more appropriate surroundings.

City and business leaders in Costa Mesa need to help Westside

merchants accomplish that.

The shopping center at Placentia Avenue and 19th Street needs to be a

priority. One look at how the new Harbor Center has brightened that part

of Costa Mesa shows why.

The Westside should be a place people can live, work and shop in

proudly. To make it so, city officials need to learn from the missteps

they made the first time through this process.

They need to listen to residents and business owners to determine how

best to reshape the area.

If these goals could be accomplished, it would be something both the

City Council and the residents of this great town could be proud of.