According to official estimates provided to the city, at any given time, there are approximately 120 to

150 known homeless residents living here. To address this issue, the city formed the Network for Homeless Solutions, which includes city outreach employees, law enforcement, legal experts and members of the clergy who meet weekly. In addition to enforcement of existing laws that regulate camping and panhandling, the city closely monitors illegal activity at city parks and also offers individuals a number of different services through outreach teams, which could include referrals for housing, drug or alcohol treatment or relocation, even to other states.

Over the past year, the city decided to remove some park benches and shelters that had been taken over by transients and drug and alcohol abusers. These activities were harmful to businesses whose establishments were near the benches and to legitimate bus riders who could not use the benches and shelters for their intended purposes. In addition, the benches became a sanitary issue as regularly scheduled cleanings could not take place. The city is replacing many benches throughout the city with new benches and shelters that are designed to discourage extended stays.

The city always tries to balance both the safety and best interests of our residents and park visitors. While the city would prefer to offer restroom amenities at all our city parks, those restrooms became the center of criminal activities such as prostitution and drug use. With those activities happening in the restrooms, the city made the difficult decision to close those facilities in order to protect residents and visitors from potentially being victims of crime.

Costa Mesa residents are fortunate to have CMTV 3, the city’s Municipal Access Channel that provides the citizens of Costa Mesa with governmental, informational, and special interest programming. For those residents who can’t make it to the Council meeting in person, Costa Mesa TV provides live coverage of the meetings. CMTV 3 also televises Planning Commission and Parks & Recreation Commission meetings.  Replays of City Council and Planning Commission meetings are replayed throughout the week of the meeting on CMTV 3 and are available for on-demand viewing on the City’s website

No. Fairview Park is a passive park governed by a master plan that is closely adhered to by city officials. In 2013, the city completed a major wetland restoration project that included six acres of wetland ponds, five acres of native grasslands, three acres of oak trees, nine acres of coastal sage scrub and 8,700 shrubs planted. The result has been a new wetland habitat that includes several species of animals, birds and plants. A recent study by county officials determined that the wetlands is not contributing to an increase in mosquitoes to the neighboring communities.