Neighborhood Group Seeks ‘Space Saver’ Plan Investigation

A Santa Ana neighborhood association has asked the Orange County Grand Jury to investigate the way the school district and city have handled plans for a controversial “space-saver” school to be built with state funds at a shopping center here.

The letter, drafted by retired corporate attorney Merle Asper and approved by the board of the Northwest Neighborhood Assn., alleges that the school district has violated the public’s right to freedom of information; placed a “gag rule” on school board members critical of the project and deprived those board members of information; used public money to lobby for the project; and participated in a “conspiracy” to pay an inflated sum for the school site at Bristol Marketplace.

Santa Ana Unified School District Trustee Audrey Yamagata-Noji, who has supported the proposed school site at Bristol and 17th streets, denied the allegations and welcomed an inquiry.

“I’m not concerned, because I think we have nothing to hide,” Yamagata-Noji said when she learned of the letter, dated May 3. “If the grand jury chooses to act on this and make any inquiries, the district is willing to cooperate. We stand behind everything that we’ve said and done.”

The project, which would be the first under a novel state program, has been mired in controversy, in part because an initial letter of appraisal was steep, and includes the cost of tearing down and rebuilding two businesses at the mall.

Three complete appraisals are being reviewed by the state, but officials will not disclose their contents.

“They won’t let the appraisals out so they can be held under the light,” Asper said of the district.

Yamagata-Noji said that releasing the contents of the appraisal would compromise the district’s negotiating position.