WISH COMES TRUE AT DEMEO HOMEMOMS, KIDS TO LIVE IN LATE LAWYER'S HOUSE

Some of Sonoma County's poorest families will find temporary housing in the

former home of Charles DeMeo, the frugal lawyer who left $15 million to kids

and homeless people when he died last May at age 90.

On Monday, the charitable foundation to which DeMeo left most of his estate

gave the keys to his simple home to Catholic Charities. The church-run

agency's Sister Teresita Poulin said DeMeo's three-bedroom home on Ridgway

Avenue, near the Santa Rosa City Schools office, will be used as a

transitional shelter for homeless women with children.

Sister Teresita said ''The Charles DeMeo House'' will accommodate two

mothers and their children. She said families will stay there probably four to

eight months, until they and Catholic Charities staff find them rentals or

subsidized homes of their own.

DeMeo's brother, Leo DeMeo, and his great-nephew, Santa Rosa attorney Brad

DeMeo, were on hand for the passing of ''Chop's'' house to homeless mothers, a

group of people the childless millionaire cared about.

With the transfer of the deed to Catholic Charities, DeMeo's fixerupper --

valued at $160,000 -becomes the first portion of his estate to be delivered to

the public. The widower worked until shortly before his death as an attorney

and co-owner of Summit Savings, and in his will left most of what he owned to

the Sonoma County Community Foundation.

Though he lived a Spartan life and drove a rattly Plymouth with no radio,

his stocks and other investments were valued at about $18 million. He

specified in his bequest that the lion's share go to two purposes: to help

homeless mothers in Sonoma County ''become full and meaningful participants of

society'' and to create more sports and social activities for Santa Rosa kids.

The Community Foundation expects that once the taxes are paid it will

receive between $15 million and $16 million from DeMeo's estate. Foundation

chief Kay Marquet said about 70 service agencies and individuals have

submitted proposals for putting DeMeo's money to work.

Sister Teresita said Catholic Charities will need the public's help in

fixing up the Ridgway house, painting and carpeting it. She said she hopes it

will be ready for families next spring.

Some neighbors on Ridgway Avenue are cautiously receptive to having

homeless people in the house. ''I'm not down on people who are deserving,''

said Robert McGinnis, who lives two doors down.