Board of Supervisors approve Short-term Homeless Shelters for Fullerton, Santa Ana

Under a plan approved Tuesday by the Orange County Board of Supervisors, short-term homeless shelters could open as early as November 10 in Fullerton, Santa Ana.

According to Santa Ana's county data for year 2013, an estimated 12,700 people in Santa Ana were homeless.

The supervisors have agreed to shift $500,000 in funds meant for year-round shelter operations to the temporary facilities after the delay in plans for a year-round shelter in Santa. The year-round shelter is part of the county's 2010 Ten-Year-Plan to End Homelessness.

These temporary shelters are likely to provide beds and services to the homeless until about mid-April.

The Orange County supervisors on July 15 voted unanimously to begin proceedings to purchase the $3.6 million industrial building. It is the first shelter that officials aim to open as part of the county's 2010 Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness.

However, after hundreds of residents vehemently said during a community forum at a nearby school that location of the shelter was wrong, Santa Ana City Council unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on new homeless shelters in the city.

Shawn Nelson, who chairs the board and whose district includes Santa Ana, expressed frustration over what he described as 'fear-mongering' in the city.

He said, "It is a universal truth everyone believes we should fix the homeless situation and everyone agrees that it's urgent. Everyone agrees that right up until they find out the address is near them, it should always be somewhere else".

Supervisor John Moorlach suggested to approach Santa Ana lawmakers with the idea of a short-term pilot project, possibly at the bus depot. He suggested the board to consider the concept at a future meeting.