Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/maxwell-park/)
Anaheim officials cleared out homeless encampments at Maxwell Park Friday morning and sent roughly 30 people to the newly opened 200-bed emergency homeless shelter near Angel Stadium four days before Christmas, as part of a settlement in a federal lawsuit.
An emergency 200-bed homeless shelter is slated to open near Angels Stadium Dec. 20 after the City Council decided its other two shelters, which are scheduled to open in early 2019, won’t be up in time to help homeless people escape the winter weather.
Anaheim could have a temporary homeless shelter next to the existing County homeless shelter by the 91 freeway, in the eastern part of the city.
At the hearing, Santa Ana officials said they were able to design and construct the new 200-bed shelter in less than a month and that it will be opening soon at a location they haven’t yet disclosed publicly.
West Anaheim’s Maxwell Park is facing a spike in homeless people staying in and around the park and homeless-related crimes, according to Anaheim Deputy Police Chief Julian Harvey.
After Anaheim PD confronts a Voice of OC reporter who clearly identified himself, questions arise about Anaheim’s commitment to the First Amendment and the tone of neighborhood homeless sweeps.
American courts have held the public and journalists have the right to film government officials, including police, carrying out official actions in public.