More than 15,000 people are homeless in Orange County at some point during the year, according to the latest available figures.
Tag: Paul Leon
Costa Mesa Property Eyed as Site for Mental Health Service Center
The state may shutter a 114-acre property that currently houses developmentally disabled adults. Homeless advocates, and a state senator, say the property should be re-purposed as a center for homeless people and others who need temporary housing and mental health services.
New Homeless Service Center Draws Both Kudos and Concerns From Advocates
A plan by county officials to turn an abandoned bus depot into a service center for homeless people at the Civic Center is drawing cautious praise from some homeless advocates. But others are wary, including one advocate who says it will make the problem worse.
Amid Drastic Moves Elsewhere, Homeless Advocates See Hope in OC
Officials in San Francisco and San Jose have aggressively cleared out homeless encampments similar to the one in the county’s Civic Center. But successes in other places show there are better solutions.
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.
Westminster Pushes Boundaries in Fight Against Homelessness
The cash-strapped city is taking innovative approaches in its attempt to alleviate the persistent problem. However, a lack of leadership at the county level inhibits progress, say advocates.
A New Way to Battle Homelessness Gains Traction
Traditionally, chronically homeless people have had to overcome addiction and mental health problems before being eligible for housing programs. But some advocates are now saying that “housing first” is a better route.
OC Leaders Discuss Efforts for Homeless
Local government officials and nonprofit leaders sat down with the Voice of OC Community Editorial Board last week to talk about how the county succeeded and how it failed this year in the fight against homelessness.
How OC Fared This Year in Fight Against Homelessness
There were positive steps in 2013, but the county was still plagued by a lack of cohesiveness among those responsible for getting people off the street.
Program to Focus on Costly Emergency Room Patients
The Illumination Foundation has received a grant to assist the 20 homeless people who have been identified as St. Joseph Hospial’s most expensive chronic emergency room patients.











