The number of beds – 90 – will be far less than the 400 available in the past, when cold-weather shelters opened starting in October. This year, the shelter is opening months later.
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 inTransportation
Limited Weekend Train Service Between San Diego and OC is Expected Soon; No Weekday Trains Yet
While Amtrak is expected to resume weekend service starting in February, weekday trains and Metrolink service aren’t expected to resume until March.
Posted inSafety, Security & Justice
Will OC’s New Police ‘Watchdog’ Be Proactive and Transparent? His Background is Sparking Questions
State auditors have raised concerns about unusually high jail deaths under Robert Faigin’s watch as the San Diego sheriff’s top attorney.
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Major OC Republican Group Lost on 96% of its Big Local Bets in Latest Election
While the Lincoln Club used to be one of the biggest political machines in Orange County, the results from this year’s election show their influence is waning.
Posted inWater, Power & Waste
OC Looks Elsewhere for Green Power After Pulling Out of Controversial Local Agency
Among the agencies being looked at is San Diego Community Power, one of the 25 green power agencies across the state that can buy power for residents and businesses.
Posted inCountywide
OC Now Has Its First Democrat Majority on Board of Supervisors in Over 40 Years
Among other things, new Democratic Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said he wants to beef up staffing and funding of civilian oversight over county law enforcement agencies.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Will Orange County Reinstate Its Cold-Weather Homeless Shelter as Rain Storms Hit?
Advocates warn progress is happening far too slowly as deaths keep mounting and more people become homeless.
Posted inSafety, Security & Justice
Will a New OC Supervisors Majority Create a Sheriff’s Oversight Commission?
Newly sworn-in Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento wants a civilian oversight commission over the Sheriff’s Department since the current watchdog panel has only issued one report in the past 10 years.
Posted inCountywide
Court Chiefs Ring Alarm Bells About Worsening Shortage of Court Reporters to Transcribe Hearings
The court already has eliminated their transcript staff from misdemeanor criminal cases, civil lawsuits and traffic cases, and many family law cases.
Posted inPolitics & Elections
How a Citizens’ Panel Reshaped Orange County’s State and Federal Elections
The final lines ended up creating advantages for Republicans and Democrats alike, depending on the area, after California voters took redrawing power out of the Legislature’s hands.
