LA HABRA : Mary’s Home Project on Planners’ Agenda

A controversial proposal to build the city’s first transitional housing project for homeless families appears before the Planning Commission tonight for the fifth time since December.

The proposed facility has prompted emotional debate over its density and location. Protesters at previous meetings have said the nonprofit facility, proposed to be built on 1.55 acres behind Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, will increase traffic and crime and decrease property values in the area. Other opponents fear that their children who attend the church’s school could be endangered.

But supporters of Mary’s Home for Transitional Families are hoping that changes in previously submitted plans will encourage the commission to recommend the project to the City Council. Unlike projects that need only commission approval, the controversial Mary’s Home would require a General Plan amendment, leaving the decision up to the council.

Based on city planners’ suggestions when the project’s original plan was disapproved at last month’s commission meeting, Mary’s Home architects have eliminated one of the eight living units and increased the number of parking spaces.

Instead of the original 32 families, the facility is now proposed to house 28 families for up to 18 months. The unit eliminated was at the east side of the property, next to neighborhood homes.

“The minutes from the last meeting indicate it would be a good idea to reduce, so we’re just going in there and showing them what they asked,” said Robert Hana, director of Mary’s Home.

The new proposal would add 13 parking spaces, but it would still fall 38 spaces short of the 99 required by the city. One of tonight’s considerations is a zone variance to reduce the number of on-site parking spaces from 99 to 61.

A new suggestion by supporters, which was accepted by the church, is that a playground be turned into a parking lot if additional parking spaces for the project or church are necessary. But some opponents have argued that the vacant lot for the proposed project is already being used for recreation or parking, depending on the church’s needs.

Whatever tonight’s outcome, Robert Hana and his supporters believe they have done everything they have been asked to do and vow to continue efforts until the home is built.

“We’re not going to give up,” Hana said. “This will be a lifetime project if necessary.”