While there is wide support for a year-round shelter, a close look at county statements raises questions regarding whether the county will no longer fund seasonal shelters once the year-round shelter is up and running.
Author Archives: Nick Gerda
Nick covers the city of Santa Ana, as well as the County of Orange, often reporting on issues like homelessness, public safety, mental health, and the role of money in politics.
Since joining Voice of OC in 2011, Nick has regularly shed light on topics that are often kept in the shadows. He’s reported on systemic problems in the county’s mental health system. He also led a reporting team that produced sophisticated looks at how the Disney corporation campaign contributions influenced recent elections in Anaheim.
Nick also revealed evidence of elected leaders using their official powers to apparently pressure government contractors into donating to their election campaigns, in an article that was awarded best news story of the year by the Orange County Press Club. He firmly believes journalism should inform the public and help hold the powerful accountable.
An Orange County native, Nick first started covering local government in his mid-teens, before attending Santa Ana College, the American University in Cairo, and UC Irvine, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Languages spoken: English, elementary Spanish, minimal Arabic and minimal Japanese
Areas of expertise: Local government, local politics, homelessness, mental health policy, campaign finance, California Public Records Act, Ralph M. Brown Act, County of Orange government, Santa Ana city government and municipal finance.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Housing & Homelessness, Top Stories
OC’s Main Provider of Homeless Services Draws Fire From Advocates
While Mercy House has been the go-to homeless services provider for local governments, the organization and its executive director, Larry Haynes, face harsh criticism at the street level. Haynes says he’s working on strengthening his relationships with people in the trenches.
Posted inGovernment, News Briefs, Top Stories
Deputies’ Union Sues County, Says Negligence Could Have Led to Jailbreak
The suit alleges that mismanagement and negligence by higher-ups has helped foster a unnecessarily dangerous work environment, and potentially contributed to the recent jailbreak by three inmates.
Posted inGovernment, Top Stories
Nelson Enters Judicial Race, Could Mean He Resigns Supervisor Post Early
Supervisor Shawn Nelson filed papers this week to run for a Superior Court judgeship. If he wins, he would leave the county Board of Supervisors with two years left on his term. He’s going up against a senior prosecutor who led the county prosecutors’ union and a defense attorney.
Posted inGovernment, Top Stories, Transportation
New Reports Show How County Supervisors Fill Their Campaign Coffers
The reports show that supervisors raised a total of $650,000 last year, and much of the cash came from people and companies whose county contract approvals they control.
Posted inGovernment, Housing & Homelessness, Top Stories
Big Spike in OC Homeless Deaths Alarms Advocates
The annual number of homeless deaths in the county, largely driven by overdoses, have skyrocketed since 2005, even as estimates of the overall homeless population have gone down.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Top Stories
Deputies’ Union Fails in Effort to Block Release of Negotiation Records
Superior Court Judge Craig Griffin turned down a request by the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs’ for a temporary restraining order to prevent the release of records detailing their contract negotiations.
Posted inEconomy, Government, Top Stories
Deputies’ Union Sues County to Block Release of Labor Negotiation Records
A hearing is scheduled for Friday morning on whether to ban the release of records sought by conservative publisher Jon Fleischman.
Posted inGovernment, Santa Ana, Top Stories, Transportation
County Gets OK From Feds to Use Bus Depot as Emergency Homeless Shelter
The county now has all the outside approvals it needs, according to the terminal’s owner. But county officials could not say how quickly the shelter beds would be available.
Posted inGovernment, Investigative, Top Stories
Supervisors Debate Proposed Changes to CalOptima Board
Proposed changes to the health plan for over 700,000 poor and disabled residents include a guaranteed seat for the First District supervisor and allowing spending requests to be approved by less than a majority of the board.
