Recovery & Resources / AN ORANGE COUNTY GUIDE TO COPING WITH FIRE : Temporary Housing Alternatives Abound

As the local chapter of the Red Cross and county government continue to provide temporary shelter to victims of the Laguna Beach fire, offers of help from others are pouring in.

As of Thursday night, the Red Cross had shelters in Newport Beach, Dana Point and Mission Viejo, which the Orange County Social Services Agency and the County Health Care Agency are helping to operate.

Larry Leaman, director of the Social Services Agency, said the shelters will stay open as long as they are needed.

The South Orange County Assn. of Realtors is compiling a list of rental homes, including price and number of bedrooms, in the Laguna Beach area.

The Irvine Co. has set up a hot line for victims seeking information about apartment rentals in Newport Beach, Tustin and Irvine. That number is (714) 720-2407.

The William Lyon Property Management Co. is offering fire victims 5% off rents at six of its South County apartment communities. For information, call (714) 252-9101.

At Newport Dunes, general manager Annie Evans Quinn said, 405 spaces for recreational vehicles are available to fire victims who may want to temporarily stay in mobile homes. The 100-acre site on the corner of East Coast Highway and Jamboree Road has a swimming pool, a playground, a restaurant, a grocery store and other amenities.

Quinn said that space rentals will be free for a week, but people will have to provide their own recreational vehicle. She said she is working on possible RV donations from several rental companies.

All Marriott hotels in Orange County are offering reduced rates to fire victims. The rates range from $32 at the Mission Viejo hotel to $99 at the Newport Beach hotel on Newport Center Drive.

Temporary Housing Sites

Those seeking a Red Cross shelter should call the county’s “rumor control” hot line, (714) 834-7285, first to check on the shelter’s status. Those shelters are: * Corona del Mar High School, 2101 Eastbluff Drive, Newport Beach. * Dana Hills High School, 33333 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. * Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo.

Marriott hotel locations are: * 700 W. Convention Way, Anaheim. (714) 750-8000. * 500 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa. (714) 957-1100. * 2701 E. Nutwood Ave., Fullerton. (714) 738-7800. * 18000 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. (714) 553-0100. * 23175 Avenida de la Carlota, Laguna Hills. (714) 859-5500. * 900 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. (714) 640-4000. * 500 Bayview Circle, Newport Beach. (714) 854-4500. * 26328 Oso Parkway, Mission Viejo. (714) 582-7100.

The Marriott hotel in Ontario is also offering reduced rates. It is at 2200 E. Holt Blvd. (909) 986-8811.

Where to get a rental housing list: * Newport Mesa Assn. of Realtors, 401 N. Newport Blvd., Newport Beach. Contact Tricia Moore at (714) 722-2300. * Irvine Assn. of Realtors, 16267 Laguna Canyon Road, Irvine. Contact Silvia Acuna at (714) 753-7533. * South Orange County Assn. of Realtors, 34932 Calle del Sol, Capistrano Beach. Contact Fred Jenner at (714) 496-1911.