Thread: CA: Despite immigration debate, health center lease renewed

Friday, May 9, 2008
Despite immigration debate, health center lease renewed in San Juan Capistrano
Business as usual for CHEC, community protesters regroup.
By PETER SCHELDEN
STAFF WRITER

Mission Flats residents learned at Tuesday's city council meeting that their neighborhood health center will remain for at least two years, and some of them are unhappy.

Calling themselves "Pro Patria America," a group of about 30 of the center's neighbors formed to protest the Community Health Enrichment Collaborative (CHEC). Members said they believe the privately funded, not-for-profit center encourages illegal immigration by not requiring clients to prove their citizenship.

Pro Patria founder Tony Brown said the group has met at his home three times to discuss illegal immigration and CHEC.

"The main issue that brought us together is the impacts of illegal immigration on our city and our mutual frustration with our city seemingly going along with it," Brown said.

CHEC is partnered with Mission Hospital and has served San Juan for 10 years. It has been in Mission Flats since 2006.

The city agreed in 1994 to use the CHEC property as a community services center as part of an agreement between the city and the building's previous owner, the County of Orange. Several community groups used the building before CHEC.

Like the former community groups, CHEC leases the property from the city for $395 per month.

Though sometimes called a clinic, the center does not provide any medical care.

The center, which was created to serve low-income residents, hosts a wide variety of workshops and education services, ranging from CPR and first-aid classes to anger management counseling and homework tutoring.

It also refers clients for immunizations and teaches them how to apply for government services like food stamps and Medi-Cal.

Residents have complained to the city that CHEC encourages parking problems, increased traffic, trash, unsupervised children, strangers and crime.

According to city staff, the center serves six clients on average, and less than half of these drive to the clinic.

"Staff has been monitoring the facility for the past few months on different days and times, and the observation has been very few people on site," city staffer Karen Crocker told the city council.

Peter Bastone, president of CHEC-supporting Mission Hospital, said the center will be careful not to offend its neighbors.


"We will be sensitive to the people who live on that street," Bastone said. "I think we’ve always been that way. It’s pretty clear we are not the only large organization on that campus."

Lieut. Mike Betzler said he examined each police call from the neighborhood near CHEC to look for crime trends.

"We couldn't find any calls of significance that showed any crime trends," Betzler said.

Brown accepted Betzler's findings, but said some minor crimes may not be reported.

"I wouldn't dispute (Betzler's) story, but it's not the whole story," Brown said.

Brown said he expects Pro Patria to shift its attention from CHEC to neighborhoods in San Juan he describes as overcrowded. He said the group may run one or two of its members in this year's city council race.

The center will continue serving people in the community, regardless of immigrant status, and will try to be a good neighbor to the people of Mission Flats, Bastone said.

"This isn't really an immigration issue," Bastone said. "It's a good neighbor issue. We don't mind (our neighbors) monitoring us or watching us. We will continue meeting the needs of the community."


www.ocregister.com

Brown said he expects Pro Patria to shift its attention from CHEC to neighborhoods in San Juan he describes as overcrowded. He said the group may run one or two of its members in this year's city council race.

I hope the citizens are able to defeat the CHEC members who might plan on running. This is how they get a foot in the door, and gain control over our communities.