City Council approves aid for charities

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- In an atmosphere of mostly support, the City Council on

Monday voted to distribute $214,050 in federal money to city charities.

“I strongly urge you to support the block grant,” said James Driscoll,

a volunteer for Friends In Service To Humanity, Share Our Selves and the

Someone Cares Soup Kitchen. “These are neighbors, good people and for the

most part working people.”

Dozens of community members came to the meeting to speak to the

council, to listen to others or to witness the council’s decision.

The annual allocation of Community Development Block Grant money to

charities normally does not attract a big crowd, but charities have

become a hot topic again in the last year.

Several Costa Mesa residents, including City Councilman Chris Steel,

have said they believe that some charities are “magnets” that attract

illegal immigrants, lower property values and hurt schools.

Steel said Monday that he did not have any problems with the charities

that were selected, however, and only one of about a dozen speakers

opposed the city awarding the money to charities.

“We are subsidizing illegal aliens,” Martin Millard, a Costa Mesa

resident, said. “I’ve heard more English spoken in Tijuana [than at these

charities] . . . If these aren’t magnets, why are they expanding? It’s

[charity] a big business in Costa Mesa. There’s a line from a movie: ‘If

you build it, they will come.’ If you remove it, they will go.”

Some attendees applauded after Millard’s comments, but most of the

speakers favored giving grant money to the charities.

“None of us are impervious to homelessness,” said Rev. Karen

Stoyanoff, minister at Orange Coast Universalist Church. “None of us are

impervious to illness [or disability.] I know and believe firmly in the

separation of church and state, but I’m here urging you to do what all

churches in the city would urge you to do.”

Joel Maskowitz, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of

Ceradyne, Inc., said the city support for charities would benefit city

businesses.

“I believe the continuation of this support will continue to help

those services which continue to supply entry-level-type personnel, which

will provide the balanced work force necessary for many businesses,” he

said.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has granted Costa

Mesa $1.4 million for community development, up to 15% of which can be

used for public service programs for low- and moderate-income Costa Mesa

residents.

Nonprofits that will get a share of the money are the Assessment and

Treatment Services Center, the Assistance League of Costa Mesa, Campfire

Boys and Girls, the Costa Mesa Senior Center, Dayle McIntosh Center for

the Disabled, Families Costa Mesa, Friends In Service to Humanity, Girls

Inc., Orange Coast Interfaith Shelter, Orange County Bar Foundation, Save

Our Youth, Senior Meals and Services, Women Helping Women and Youth

Employment Services.