Living wage proposed for Home Ranch

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- At a meeting this week on the proposed Home Ranch

project, Planning Commissioner Eleanor Egan proposed a living wage for

future Home Ranch employees as part of a three-part plan to possibly make

the project more acceptable to the community.

Egan proposed the minimum living wage be added to the Home Ranch

development agreement, calling for janitors and other low-wage workers --

who are often immigrants -- to be paid enough to provide for themselves

without the need of assistance, she said.

“I think this might answer some of the concerns of those people who

are worried about adding to the number of people who are dependent on

charity because they are paid so poorly,” the commissioner said.

Costa Mesa residents opposing the project have complained that the

addition of a large retailer such as Ikea would bring a flood of low-wage

workers to the Westside looking for handouts.

However, Paul Freeman of C.J. Segerstrom & Sons said it is unfair for

the city to target just one project for a living wage standard.

“If the City Council should choose to adopt a living wage ordinance

that applies to the entire city, we would accept and comply with that

broader policy,” he said.

The living wage component was only part of Egan’s proposal. Another

aspect calls for all companies on the Home Ranch site to hire only

documented workers, Egan said.

Egan said that part of her proposal was the product of conversations

with labor union representatives who outlined for the commissioner the

problems with exploitation many janitors face.

“That way workers wouldn’t be afraid to address concerns about unfair

treatment because they wouldn’t be afraid of deportation. It would limit

victimization,” she said.

Because landlords and tenants don’t have real incentive to enforce

federal labor standards and living wage requirements, Egan proposed the

development agreement make the city a third-party in labor negotiations.

Planning Commissioner Katrina Foley took notice of that part of Egan’s

proposal, saying the city does not have the manpower to enforce more

rules.

But Egan said it is not her job to decide what the city’s enforcement

capabilities are or not.

“It’s not for me to say. The City Council can take a look at it, and

if they think it’s a good idea, they ought to pursue it,” Egan said.

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

If people knew the city was willing to put her ideas into a

development agreement and back it up with enforcement, they probably

wouldn’t violate them much, Egan said.

The final part to her plan would require occupancy limits on the

rental housing in the unit. Although all residential plans for the site

are designed for owner-occupied units only, it doesn’t limit the

possibility that those owners could move and rent out their house, Egan

said.

No more than two people per bedroom and one additional person should

be allowed in units that end up being rented, she said.

The newest commissioner’s three-part proposal is not being researched

by city staff and has not been put on any agendas, Egan said. Her

intention was to float the idea and see what people thought she said.

“If people like it, we’ll move forward,” she said.