Bassett Site for Hospital Ruled Out : Land Use: County supervisors heed protest by residents who say the project would uproot a viable low-income neighborhood.

Three Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday said they are opposed to building a hospital in a poor neighborhood of unincorporated Bassett, once again throwing open the question of where the planned 350-bed facility will go.

County health officials last month said the Bassett site, in the middle of the San Gabriel Valley, was the best of 32 potential locations. But 89 homes and several businesses would have to be demolished or relocated to make way for the hospital, a prospect that disturbs residents.

About 200 Bassett residents attended the supervisors’ meeting to oppose the hospital plans, many carrying picket signs in English and Spanish. Some said that although a public hospital is sorely needed in their community, they cannot afford to be displaced.

“If you proceed with this recommendation, we want to know on which reservation you will relocate the extended family that lives in the Bassett community,” said Maria Calzada, 39, a leader of the protesters.

Hector Varela, a member of the Bassett Unified School District board, said residents who would be displaced “couldn’t find affordable housing anywhere unless they move to Victorville.”

Supervisors Mike Antonovich, Deane Dana and Gloria Molina--whose 1st District includes Bassett--said they were against the Bassett location, although they did not vote to immediately remove it from the list of sites.

Last week the board eliminated from consideration an Irwindale industrial park, originally a favored location. City officials there objected to the hospital because it would deprive them of property taxes.

Next week, Dana will ask the board to reject the Bassett site once and for all. Molina agreed that it is not a good location but said she may need longer than a week to study all the potential locations.

“I have assured the Bassett community that this site will not be selected,” she said Tuesday. “The displacement of these homes would be disastrous.”

“You will not be displaced,” Molina told the crowd.

The proposed $388-million East Valley Medical Center--to be financed through a voter-approved bond measure--would be part of a plan by the Department of Health Services to improve public hospitals countywide. The plan includes renovating County-USC Medical Center and shifting some of its beds to other hospitals.

Times staff writer Richard Simon contributed to this story.