Costa Mesa Sanitary District rents part of its office space to assistance group for low-income residents

The Costa Mesa Sanitary District has opened its doors, literally, to a nonprofit serving Orange County’s low-income residents — agreeing to lease part of its headquarters to the organization.

Second Chance Orange County moved into the district’s home base at 290 Paularino Ave. a couple of weeks ago, according to district General Manager Scott Carroll.

“When we bought this building, we wanted to benefit the community, and Deb Johnson’s organization does that,” Carroll said Wednesday, referring to the organization’s founder and executive director. “Their mission statement is to get people a second chance to be contributors to society. … That helps keep people off the streets of Costa Mesa. So there’s definitely a nexus of why we would want to partner with her.”

The nonprofit will pay the district $530 a month to rent two previously vacant offices totaling 252 square feet, according to Carroll. The arrangement is on a month-to-month basis.

All told, the sanitary district’s headquarters is nearly 11,300 square feet. CMSD moved into the building in 2016 from its previous digs at 628 W. 19th St.

“We are so excited to be able to collaborate and work in partnership with another agency that believes in us and sees the good work we are doing for individuals that need a second chance,” Johnson said in a statement this week.

According to its website, Second Chance helps “low-income individuals recovering from drug/alcohol addiction or experiencing homelessness adjust back into society” by “providing free job skills training, interview skills, one-on-one coaching, mentoring and job placement.”

“Second Chance OC is a very important partner in the effort to end homelessness in Costa Mesa and we’re excited to have CMSD assist in that effort,” said sanitary district board President Jim Ferryman.