Proposed funeral home ignites furor in Garden Grove

Thuy Phan/Nguoi Viet

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. – Funeral homes oftentimes provide a service that is indispensable to grieving families in the wake of tragedy and loss, yet the thought of having one move into your neighborhood is a notion not all are comfortable with. This is true for the residents living near Fairview Ave. and Garden Grove Blvd., where Heaven’s Gate Funeral Home is proposing to build a funeral home with crematory located at 13272 Garden Grove Blvd.

Garden Grove residents came out to oppose a proposed funeral home. (Photo: Courtesy David Le)

Per city instructions, letters were sent to residents living in the area roughly two months ago explaining the potential of having a funeral home move into that space. Tuan Nguyen, the owner of Heaven’s Gate Funeral Home, said he was upset by the resistance he has met.

“I don’t know what the big deal is” Nguyen, 40, said. “I’m a family owned and operated business and I went to college and have a mortuary degree. This is a legitimate business and I help them out in the community. I take care of people who don’t have money. I’m here for them, i don’t know why it’s hard. I don’t get it.”

The area where the proposed funeral home and mortuary will be built has a wall separating the business from residents with five homes adjacent to the wall. Those who live in owner occupied homes within 300 ft. were sent a notice of the proposed business. However, according to David Le, 32, who lives within 100 ft. of the proposed funeral home, he was never notified. Later, as word spread in the neighborhood, a petition against the proposed funeral home was created and over 400 people signed it prior to the June 2 public meeting that took place. 

Over 200 residents showed up to voice their opinion. (Photo: Courtesy David Le)

“No one wants this in our neighborhood,” Le said. “As a community, the location is what we’re against.  A lot of the people are older folks and small children, and we are concerned about the harmful effects of emissions. For me, I have a baby being born in two months, and I just moved in. I should be concerned about preparing to be a father, but I’ve been busy worrying about this.”

Part of the meeting included bringing experts to report on the issue of emissions and how the business would affect the neighboring community. Le said he felt the evidence presented did not adequately allay his fears or answered the questions he needed.

“Everything is contradictory,” Le said. “It went around in a full circle. There’s no clarity in how they got the information. It’s tough to believe the information we’ve been given.”

Le said in addition to the stigma of the funeral home, the value of their property would be affected if this were to be approved.

“It’s a guarantee it’ll bring the real estate value down,” Le said. “In their report, they said it wouldn’t bring the value down. But you can ask anyone, no one wants to live next to a funeral home.”

For Nguyen, who said he came to the meeting but left after seeing so many people oppose the plan, said he feels slighted by his own people.

“I am not opening a strip club,” Nguyen said. “There are funeral homes everywhere. I don’t understand why they are opposing this. There’s only five houses that will be affected. There’s a brick wall. Everything will be conducted inside a building, not outside. I followed all the requirements. I hired engineers. I’m not doing anything illegal. This is very important to me and I am trying to help the community.”

The proposed funeral home would be located at 13272 Garden Grove Blvd. (Photo: Courtesy David Le)

Planning Services Manager Karl Hill said the commission took an action to approve the resolution for approval, but got three “yes” votes, two “no” votes and one “abstention”. The commission needed four “yes” votes for the motion to pass, so another meeting will be held on June 16 to try and resolve the matter.

“They will consider this next Thursday,” Hill said. “Hopefully we’ll have a firm decision for or against with all seven commissioners present. Whatever happens, the matter can be appealed to be taken to the city council.”

That’s just as well, since Nguyen doesn’t plan to back down.

“I’m not gonna lay down,” Nguyen said. “I’m going to fight back. I’m going to appeal if the city strikes it down and goes to the city council. If everything falls apart, I am going to get up and do it again.”

Contact the writer: thuyphan@nguoi-viet.com