A ‘Golden Girls’ solution for affordable housing? Love Costa Mesa pilots home-sharing project
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One can hardly get through a day in SoCal — especially so during political seasons — without hearing of the dire need for affordable housing. Developers of multi-unit residential dwellings are now often being required to set aside a certain percentage of them as “affordable,” whatever that term might mean to someone at a time when the most decrepit homes can fetch $1M or more.
So, a new pilot program being floated in Orange County by the nonprofit Love Costa Mesa that could introduce older adults — whose longtime homes are practically echoing now that the kids are grown — to individuals who would be greatly relieved to find accommodations at a reasonable price.
Betsy Densmore, a leader of Love Costa Mesa’s Neighboring Initiative, is signing up interested homeowners and potential tenants with resident Sharon Hurd. Dubbed the “Home Sharing” program, it seems like offers a win/win possibility.
Such a tenant might be open not only to helping with chores around the property, but also to assisting his or her new roommate/landlord as they age in place in exchange for the affordable living situation. So far, about 20 people looking for affordable housing have applied for consideration. Now they just need willing participants who would be on the other end of the bargain.
“Our biggest challenge right now is finding the right homeowners,” Hurd told the Daily Pilot. “We’re trying to get our foot in the door to homeowners who would actually benefit from it. [But] if you’re used to living alone, it can be a big step to have anyone come move in with you.”
She also said the program organizers are “hoping maybe down the road to facilitate a sort-of ‘Golden Girls’ concept,” referencing the vintage, much-loved NBC sitcom in which four mature women share not only a home, but the joys and challenging times that aging brings. “That’s the thing — to be able to thrive in your golden years.”
In case you missed the article about the Costa Mesa program written by my colleague Sara Cardine, you can find it in its entirety here. More information on the Home Sharing program can be found under “Resources” at lovecostamesa.org.
MORE NEWS
• This year’s Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach is scheduled for Oct. 2-4 and to announce its 2026 lineup operator Kevin Elliott and city officials welcomed the Goodyear blimp to the sands of Surf City last Friday morning. Elliott said it was only the second time the blimp has ever landed on the beach, the first time being in Santa Monica in 1940.
• In other news related to the Pacific Airshow, some of H.B.’s elected officials, specifically current Mayor Casey McKeon, Councilmembers Pat Burns and Gracey Van Der Mark, former City Atty. Michael Gates (who is currently running for state attorney general) and former Councilmember Erik Peterson, are being fined by the Fair Political Practices Commission for not disclosing perks like expensive VIP passes they were given to the 2022 event.
• While the H.B. city officials involved in the FPPC reporting matter dig into their wallets to pay those individual fines, a judge has decided to put City Hall on the hook to pay $50K a month until the City Council adopts its long overdue housing plan as mandated by the state.
• An outsider watching the machinations of the Laguna Beach Unified School District might wonder how the school board managed to hire a brand new superintendent last Thursday, only two days after it pushed for the resignation of the sitting superintendent — the latter of whom had been on the job only since the same board hired him on a four-year contract that began last July 1.
• A nationwide search is underway for a new city manager to serve Anaheim, three months after its previous chief exec, Jim Vanderpool, hastily resigned shortly after a TimesOC investigation revealed he failed to properly report a Lake Havasu retreat he attended in 2020.
• Voters who reside within state Assembly District 67, which straddles Orange and L.A. counties, might be very interested to know what entities are behind a big cash influx into the race and which candidate they’re boosting.
• Homelessness is down in Orange County by 13.7% over the count taken two years, according to the results of the Point in Time count taken in January, City News Service reported Monday. “This year’s survey was a milestone in that it showed for the first time there were more people in shelters or transitional housing programs than there were on the streets, said Doug Becht, director of Office of Care Coordination.
PUBLIC SAFETY
• As e-bike and e-motorcycle accidents have piled up more and more frequently over the past five years, the Huntington Beach Police Department last week hosted a symposium focusing on e-bike safety.
• Tustin police arrested a man accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend, then fleeing to Mexico. Officers arrested Juan Marquez on Saturday, in connection with the death of Anaheim resident Sandra Fernandez, 42, on Thursday. Marquez was charged yesterday with murder with a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait and a sentencing enhancement for discharge of a gun causing death.
• An Irvine man, Randall Bertsch, 71, was arrested at his home last week on suspicion of abusing and killing ducklings that had been swimming in a local park’s community pool.
• A repeat offender pleaded guilty Monday to soliciting an underage boy in Newport Beach and was immediately sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
SPORTS
• After nearly 40 years, Huntington Beach High’s esteemed surfing coach, Andy Verdone, has decided it’s time to retire. There’s only one aspect of the job the 66-year-old admits he will not miss: “That alarm clock going off at 5 a.m.,” he said when he made his big announcement last week. “No matter what job you have, that 5 a.m. alarm never gets easy.”
• Opposing views of the controversial issue of transgender girl athletes being allowed to compete against cisgender girls collided during a track meet held at Yorba Linda High School earlier this month. Reporter Eric Licas was there to document dueling rallies and to talk to athletes and their parents. You can find his full report here.
• For the first time since 2013, Marina High’s baseball team earned a playoff win, 8-6 over Santa Monica, last Thursday in Division 4 play.
• Although the Huntington Beach girls’ lacrosse team was strong all season long, El Segundo edged the Oilers out of the title Friday, 4-3, during the CIF Division 2 finals.
• It was great while it lasted, but the Ducks’ season came to an end Thursday in a 5-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the teams’ second-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
LIFE & LEISURE
• Actor Pedro Pascal, dressed in character as the Mandalorian, was at Disneyland Saturday, surprising park guests aboard the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run attraction, the Los Angeles Times reported. “Pascal was later joined by co-star Sigourney Weaver, director Jon Favreau and LucasFilm President Dave Filoni at Galaxy’s Edge, the 14-acre ‘Star Wars’-themed section of the park modeled after an outpost on the fictional planet of Batuu,” according to reporter Jack Flemming.
• Under the leadership of artist-activist Alicia Rojas, the public murals in Santa Ana are getting needed restoration attention and, because of Rojas’ persistence, the city itself has established a policy to protect them.
MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCES
• Next Monday, May 25, is Memorial Day, and several observances related to the national holiday are planned in Orange County, many of them also incorporating the 250th anniversary of this country’s birth. Here’s a brief roundup:
— Services will be held at all three of the Orange County Cemetery District’s locations, Anaheim Cemetery, El Toro Memorial Park and Santa Ana Cemetery at 11 a.m. Monday.
— Other cemeteries that also plan events Monday include Memory Garden Memorial Park and Mortuary, Brea; Pacific View Memorial Park & Mortuary, Corona del Mar; Harbor Lawn-Mt. Olive Memorial Park, Costa Mesa; Forest Lawn-Cypress; Loma Vista Memorial Park and Westminster Memorial Park.
— Pines Park in Capistrano Beach will be the site of the annual Memorial Day service hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #9934 and the city of Dana Point, starting at 10 a.m.
— The city of Fountain Valley, Fountain Valley Community Foundation and the West O.C. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Auxiliary #9557 will hold a flag raising ceremony at Veterans Park in Fountain Valley. Hours are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
— Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach will again serve as the gathering place for a ceremony hosted by American Legion Post 133, at 11 a.m. Monday.
— The city of Irvine will host its annual Memorial Day ceremony in the formal garden at Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park beginning at 10 a.m. Monday.
— La Palma’s annual Memorial Day ceremony is set for 9 a.m. Monday at the Civic Center.
— Castaways Park in Newport Beach is patriotically decked out with 1,776 American flags placed along the park’s winding paths, courtesy of the Exchange Club of Newport Harbor. The flags went up on May 15 and will be displayed through Monday.
— The annual Memorial Day service at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the U.S. National Submarine Memorial West.
— As part of its “America 250: Renewing the Dream” series, the Richard Nixon Library & Museum in Yorba Linda plans a Memorial Day event, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to noon Monday.
CALENDAR
• Garden Grove is gearing up for its Strawberry Festival over Memorial Day weekend celebrating the city’s strawberry-growing history. The opening ceremony is set for 6 p.m. Friday; the annual parade and community breakfast ($15) will be held on Saturday, contests and concerts will take place Monday. Admission to the festival is free.
• Scottish Fest, featuring Celtic music, piping and drumming competitions, Highland dancing contests, Scottish heavy athletics, Scottish gifts, foods and more will be held this Saturday and Sunday at OC Fair & Event Center. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $30, $26 seniors, $6 children 16 and younger, free for children 5 and younger. Parking is $15.
KEEP IN TOUCH
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