Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/shawn-nelson/)
Supervisors Todd Spitzer and Shawn Nelson said they are opposed to a proposal by south Orange County mayors to put a new homeless shelter on county-owned property in rural Silverado Canyon.
Spitzer was “stirring up a bunch of lies and nonsense” with his comments last month to public meetings of the Laguna Niguel and Costa Mesa city councils, Supervisor Shawn Nelson said. Spitzer said his colleagues weren’t telling the whole story.
Orange County Fire Authority executives came under renewed criticism Tuesday for the slow response to the large Canyon 2 Fire, after a county investigation found numerous breaches of protocol caused an 80 to 85-minute delay in taking action.
“We don’t have sufficient capacity,” said the supervisors’ chairman, Andrew Do. The issue is scheduled to be discussed Tuesday at a federal court hearing with U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, county officials, and city officials from across Orange County.
Answers about where shelters might be placed, and how they would be operated, could come at an April 3 court meeting.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 in closed session Tuesday to join the U.S. Justice Department lawsuit against California’s sanctuary laws.
At least 250 people protested Sunday against plans for a homeless shelter at a former military base in Irvine, raising concerns about drug use and potential risks to children in nearby athletic fields and neighborhoods. Supervisor Shawn Nelson said no drug use or sex offenders would be allowed in the shelter.
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.
All three of the proposed shelter sites could be eliminated Tuesday, but another vote on re-selecting the location for the beds is expected at a later date, after county and city officials gather on April 3 for a court-organized meeting.
Supervisor Shawn Nelson’s lawsuit proposal is expected to be discussed in closed session at Tuesday’s supervisors meeting, and public comment will be heard before the item is considered.