Should Cove Residents Stay or Go?

* Instead of everyone challenging the tenants’ right to stay, let’s emphasize the public’s right to protection of all the historical assets of Crystal Cove. It should be viewed as a living museum with a lot of problems. Throwing away the “exhibits” and “art” is not the way to solve them. The real history of the place will be lost when the tenants remove 80 years of artifacts that have not been documented.

The state Department of Parks and Recreation is capable of better judgment and needs to look at the long view. They are saving the cottages instead of the interiors and gardens, which have museum-quality artifacts that say more about the history of the colony than all the cottages combined. Nothing should be removed, especially people, until we can see the entire picture.

BRUCE HOSTETTER

Fullerton

* Sally Martin’s comment to Dana Parsons in his Feb. 16 column that people who think of life at Crystal Cove as luxury living are flat wrong does not get one ounce of sympathy from me. The cove dwellers have had years and years to fix up the shacks they live in. I would doubt that a lease for 100 years would prompt any action on their part. They are taking advantage of being able to live on a fabulous piece of property for rock-bottom rent.

If they truly want to live in substandard housing, they only have to check out some of the apartments in Orange County. They can move there, pay more rent and still be inconvenienced but without the exceptional views they now have. So don’t play on our heartstrings about the ordeal you are all going through. You chose this way of life, and you are getting it at the expense of the rest of us. My vote is out you go after 30 days, and this time hopefully no one will bail you out.

RHODA FRIEDMAN

Newport Beach