Mailbag: An ode to our fire rings

On the shores of the wonderful pacific

Sit fire pits we enjoy every day,

Hot dogs, marshmallows and songs fill the air

Memories of beach parties and children at play.

Some would like to tear the rings out

To make way for sand flattened —

Like a mall

Sooner raze Capistrano mission, say I,

Or demolish the Taj Mahal!

Brent and Peggy Ogden

Newport Beach

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Housing for homeless

As a persistent critic of Costa Mesa’s lack of response through the years to the need for housing for our low- and very-low-income residents, I was overjoyed to read the Daily Pilot’s front page story about the city’s plans for housing for the homeless (“Homeless housing moves forward,” April 4).

I congratulate the City Council and staff on the plan approved Tuesday. It would provide not only housing for the chronically homeless but also for support services to ensure the possibility of restoring these individuals to productive lives.

I have recently, and in the past, criticized the city’s Homeless Issues Task Force for not including housing in its recommendations. I can only presume it can take some credit for the City Council’s commendable action.

Costa Mesa can now begin the update of our housing element with the knowledge that we are now in conformity with the requirement to designate a site for housing for the homeless and will be closer to the number of units required for very-low-income residents. It’s been a long time coming.

I hope this ushers in a new era of Costa Mesa working to provide housing for all its residents. Congratulations again.

Jean Forbath

Costa Mesa

The writer is a co-founder of Save Our Youth.