Low-cost housing project stirs neighbors

Deepa Bharath

Neighbors expressed concerns Tuesday about a proposed

affordable-housing project in a College Park neighborhood, saying it

would make the area more congested.

The plan proposed by Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit

organization that builds homes for low-income families, is for eight

single-family homes on a 1.5-acre property east of Harbor Center,

city officials said at a community meeting in City Council chambers

Tuesday evening.

The project allows for five single-story and three two-story

homes, each with two-car garages and individual driveways, officials

said. The project calls for a general plan amendment changing the

land-use designation from commercial and high-density residential to

low-density residential.

But even a so-called low-density development may be too high for

the serene and tightly knit College Park neighborhood, said Diane

Burton, who has lived in the area for nine years.

“One or two homes, I’m OK with,” she said. “But eight is far too

many.”

Burton said she has always been a supporter of Habitat’s projects

but added that the neighborhood can’t take so many homes at once.

The project will have minimal impact on the neighborhood, said

Mark Korando, vice president of site development for Habitat for

Humanity of Orange County.

“It’s a low-density housing complex spread over a large area,”

Korando said. “We think this is an important project because

affordable housing is vital to the economic viability of Orange

County.”

College Park resident Tamar Goldman said she would like to see

Habitat for Humanity work more with neighbors.

“If they keep it compatible with the rest of the neighborhood,

maybe we could live with it,” she said.

Another point of concern for Goldman and other neighbors is that a

14-foot sound wall built behind Home Depot would have to be torn down

and rebuilt on the other side, so the new homes can have access to

their properties from Wake Forest Drive.

It’s a sore point for Goldman, because that wall was built by the

developer of Harbor Center after neighbors fought hard for it to keep

out the noise from the center.

“For the majority of neighbors that I’ve spoken to, keeping the

promised wall closed is not just a first choice, but a very emotional

issue,” Goldman said.

Neighbor Carole Steele said she is worried that opening up Wake

Forest may lead to increased traffic problems.

“Friends of mine don’t let their children play in the front yard

on Fordham Drive because of cars speeding by the neighborhood,” she

said. “I’m just concerned that this may cause more of a problem

traffic-wise.”

Pam Smith, who lives two blocks away from the proposed

development, said her only concern would be if the community did not

support this project.

“It’s for a noble cause, putting roofs over people’s heads,” she

said.

Korando said while some cities welcome Habitat projects, others

don’t.

“It has to do with how people perceive us,” he said.

“Unfortunately, some people perceive us as a threat.”

The matter is expected to go before the Planning Commission on

Sept. 27 and to the City Council on Oct. 18.

* DEEPA BHARATH is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at

deepa.bharath@latimes.com.