Homeowners, Charity and Share Our Selves

This is in response to “The Plight of SOS Center in Costa Mesa” by Sylvia Easton and others (Letters, Jan. 14). Easton (and others in other articles) accuses Costa Mesa of cruelty and greed. That simply is not true. The problem is the number of people SOS brings to a residential area of Costa Mesa, causing distress to the residents. This was not a problem when the organization was smaller and would not be a problem if the number of people attracted to the organization in this area was reduced.

I suggest a solution: The rest of the 29 cities in Orange County should each open a branch of SOS. Surely, if, as Easton suggests, many of Irvine’s homeless have been assisted by SOS, Irvine should not be reluctant in participating in such a humane activity. Besides, why should the homeless of other cities have to go all the way to Costa Mesa to obtain aid?

It seems to me that Easton, as chair of Irvine Task Force for the Homeless, should be in an excellent position to assist SOS in opening a branch office. It is unfortunate that her only option seems to be in browbeating a Costa Mesa neighborhood into accepting the responsibility of other cities.

DEAN H. HICKS

Costa Mesa