Letters to the Editor: O.C. seniors are right to fear a plan for housing homeless coronavirus patients

To the editor: The Ayres Hotel planned to be used by Orange County to house homeless people with COVID-19 isn’t just near the Laguna Woods Village retirement community, but smack in the middle of it. The hotel is also adjacent to the community’s administration center as well as office buildings, restaurants and small shops frequented by the residents.

It is also directly across from the supermarket that is the prime source of food for a majority of the residents, and it is near a large drug store.

Even if the homeless residents would be in “lockdown,” the adjacent facilities that provide necessities to the community can still be frequented by healthcare workers and security guards who may be carriers of the coronavirus.

There are several hotels equidistant if not closer to the hospital that surely would suffice. Hundreds, if not thousands, of frail elderly among the 18,000 senior residents need not tremble in greater fear for their lives than they already do.

Berton Moldow, Laguna Woods

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To the editor: Selfish behavior such as this protest against housing homeless people in a hotel to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is outrageous.

Note to the protesters: You live in a gated community. Please go back inside your gates and into your own homes and stay there. You risk infecting your newer (and older) neighbors with your non-essential trips to protest.

You risk others as you think only of yourselves. Think outside the gates, people.

Greta Sorensen, Palm Springs

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To the editor: I was disappointed to see the fear and outrage displayed by Laguna Woods Village residents regarding temporarily housing homeless people at the nearby Ayres Hotel.

I can only assume that the neighborhood Home Depot was out of torches and pitchforks.

Nancy Grant, Laguna Beach