Letters to the Editor: Grand jury report on trees overlooked the strong demand for ocean views in Laguna Beach

Re the report on Laguna needing trees (“Laguna Beach needs more public trees, O.C. grand jury report says,” July 5): I read the report by grand jury, which doesn’t take into consideration that Laguna is unique in its views. It was the only coastal town that participated in the report. Tree advocate Ann Christoph and friends insist eucalyptus trees are our heritage and we must cover our hillsides with these trees.

We had a fire in 1993, where 400-plus homes were destroyed and an unknown number of animals were killed. No other city in Orange County can make this claim. We have many, many streets with no sidewalks, where cars park right up to property lines. Where would you plant the “public trees”? The city is removing trees that are dead and dying or otherwise threaten the safety of our community. Many towns all over the world realize that these trees, along with pine trees, are dangerous. They also are not effective carbon-removers, as some other trees are.

I have a very small lot, and I have eight trees (all fruit-bearing to help bees, etc.) and not one blocks anyone’s view. Many people do not maintain their trees, because doing so is expensive, especially eucalyptus, which topple easily and shed continually.

Ganka Brown

Laguna Beach

Costa Mesa is leading on the homeless issue

Re “Mayor Katrina Foley and new council took the lead on addressing homelessness in Costa Mesa,” (July 1): It is so refreshing to see the homelessness issue being addressed in a compassionate manner. In a country as rich as ours, we should be adopting comprehensive measures to help those who are helpless.

Costa Mesa, with its nationally recognized Share Our Selves organization, has been providing food, emergency financial assistance, case management and legal aid to those in need since 1970; it is certainly a leader in this area. In her letter, Susan Meyer outlines the additional short- and long-term plans that Costa Mesa, under Mayor Katrina Foley’s leadership, is planning to provide.

Wouldn’t it be nice if Orange County as a whole would follow Costa Mesa’s lead and become known as a progressive leader in the fight to end homelessness?

Lynn Lorenz

Newport Beach

What are you doing to help?

Re “Teams can come together on housing,” (July 1): Letter writer Denny Freidenrich, why don’t you let everyone know what you are personally doing to “tackle homelessness” or “slam dunking homelessness”?

Perhaps you can lead by example, or do you just have suggestions for others? Some research has noted that much of the homeless population is due to addiction. Any plans for slam-dunking the alcohol and drug addiction plaguing our country?

Juli Hayden

Newport Beach

Freidenrich responds

Since letter writer Juli Hayden asked what am I doing to tackle homelessness, I felt the need to respond. I try to do my part quietly. Last week I helped a homeless man who sits in front of a local bank. He’s been telling me for a year about his troubles with Social Security. I’m hopeful my intervention will help him. On a much larger scale, five years ago I was involved in a project that identified 2,500 chronically homeless people in the San Francisco Bay Area. So, thanks for asking, Juli. Maybe our paths will cross at a homeless shelter some day.

Denny Freidenrich

Laguna Beach

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