title:  Costa Mesa Official: If You Don’t Make Enough To Live Here, Get Out
text: California is one of the most expensive areas of the nation to live in. That s no secret. However, there are plenty of people who live there who aren t high-rolling actors, singers, producers, and other wealthy Beverly Hills types. There are plenty of everyday folks who live in California, and many are being priced out of their homes and neighborboods. This problem is something that people are attempting to resolve in Costa Mesa, through ordinances regarding development, but one official has a completely heartless  solution  for poor families who cannot afford to live there: move somewhere else.The idea of an ordinance to make a town affordable for a variety of income levels sounds like a good one, right? Well, not to city council members in Costa Mesa. The original idea was that there would be a choice for housing developers: either have some units that almost anyone could afford, or pay the city for the privilege of providing only luxury housing. However, the entire idea has now been shelved. Council member Katrina Foley says of the original idea, which she personally championed: The goal is to try to protect the quality of the community   don t overbuild it, use measured development that is planned and thoughtful. I don t see that we re doing that in any way, shape or form, and we re definitely not providing housing for our workforce. Another member of the Costa Mesa City Council, Sandy Genis, says the ordinance would essentially apply to those developers who somehow benefit from building in Costa Mesa: If we re giving something, we need to get something. If we re going to have a healthy community, we need to have housing for our workers. The thing is, though, the idea for the ordinance in Costa Mesa is not a new one. The ever-increasing costs of living in a place like California mean that, according to records, one-third of cities and counties in California have adopted some form of inclusionary zoning.  As it should. California does not have an asterisk next to its name that says  only rich people welcome. However, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer is totally heartless on the matter. He says he is, quote,  completely against  affordable housing ordinances, and insists that if people cannot afford Costa Mesa, they need to pick up and go elsewhere: I m going to be very clear, and this is a wakeup call to people: If you cannot afford to live here and your kids can t have decent housing, you should look at where you can afford. That is, of course, the most cold-hearted response to this housing crisis this horrible man could come up with. Does he really think poor families can afford to move across the country at the drop of a hat? Hell, the move itself would cost thousands. That s not even including the part about switching schools for children, finding new jobs, finding places to live in a new location, leaving extended family behind   the list goes on and on.Does this guy even think about what he is saying here? Mr. Righeimer, we re all aware of how expensive California is to live in, and it is that expense that is the problem, not the poor people you want to price out of their homes.You, sir, have no business holding office anywhere if you cannot represent all of your constituents   including the poor ones.Featured image via Mark Boster/Getty Images