Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/santa-ana-civic-center/)
The judge, David O. Carter, pointed to Santa Ana and Anaheim residents and businesses who, he said, are grappling with hundreds of homeless people who formerly lived at the Santa Ana riverbed but now are in their cities due to a shelter shortage.
Judge David O. Carter noted county officials had 30 days to prepare for the new shelter beds. His announcement puts pressure on the supervisors to have a plan ready before an April 3 meeting with Carter and city officials.
Orange County supervisors to create up to 400 new emergency shelter beds on county-owned properties and spend about $70.5 million in stockpiled money for housing and services for homeless people with serious mental illnesses.
U.S. District Judge David O. Carter expanded the scope of his inquiry into homelessness at the Santa Ana riverbed Saturday pushing city and county officials during a day-long federal court hearing to also agree to relocate the roughly 150 homeless people living in the Santa Ana Civic Center. County officials have agreed to extend motel stays for some former riverbed homeless.
The new law bans any enclosed spaces, along with food and medical services without prior city permission. City officials say it’s needed to protect public health and safety, while homeless advocates say it’s unconstitutional and cruel.
Original versions included broad bans on homeless people’s possessions in the Civic Center, like any items within 70 feet of a building, and any items officials believe present “a risk of injury, disease or a health and safety concern.” A final decision is scheduled for Oct. 17.
The eclipse provided a crescent view of the sun in the late morning for people at the Santa Ana Civic Center.
The top county officials are moving in a new direction to address the county’s growing homelessness, authorizing new housing and support services in a unanimous decision this week.
Orange County supervisors are scheduled Tuesday to move forward with the county government’s first new Civic Center building in decades, a $315-million proposal to replace a long-empty building across from Santa Ana City Hall.
As county supervisors embark on developing a new downtown civic center for Orange County, public engagement should be key to the process.