On 01/30/2020, wanted suspect Gilbert Conley Trevena (34) was captured on video surveillance breaking a large window and the glass front door of the Bowers Museum causing over $3,000.00 in damage. Trevena is a transient and frequents the Orange County area.
Wanted Suspect: Gilbert Conley Trevena (34)
Description: Male, 5’10”, 190 lbs., Brown Hair and Green Eyes.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Trevena is asked to contact Detective Castro at (714) 245-8345 or ACastro@santa-ana.org
PITTSBURG – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom visited a Project Roomkey motel in Pittsburg, Contra Costa County to highlight progress that the state and counties have made in providing safe isolation capacity to protect people experiencing homelessness from COVID-19 and to launch Homekey, the next phase in the state’s effort to protect vulnerable homeless Californians from the pandemic.
Homekey, backed by $1.3 billion in newly available and eligible funding through the budget the Governor signed yesterday, will allow for the largest expansion of housing for people experiencing homelessness in recent history, while addressing the continuing health and social service needs of this vulnerable population.
Under the Homekey program, counties will partner with the state to acquire and rehabilitate a variety of housing types: hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, residential care facilities, and other tiny homes. All these new placements will serve people experiencing homelessness.
Counties and cities across the state will identify which buildings they intend to purchase and apply to the state for $550 million in grant funding dedicated to this purpose. Once acquired, the local governments will plan for the long-term social services and subsidy needs of the Homekey buildings, with access to $50 million in dedicated Homekey support and an additional $300 million in general local homelessness support which can be used for Homekey, among other priorities.
In addition to these fund sources, counties and cities can access billions more in additional federal stimulus funding which, while available for a variety of purposes, is eligible to be used to provide safe shelter for homeless individuals during the pandemic.
The Governor also announced $45 million in philanthropic support – $25 million from Kaiser Permanente and $20 million from Blue Shield of California – for a new services subsidy fund directed at counties that are implementing Homekey. These contributions, originally announced in January as part of the Governor’s proposed Access to Housing Fund, were redirected by the companies to support the Homekey effort.
Acquisitions and conversions undertaken as part of Homekey will benefit from new legislation that the Governor signed yesterday, providing a CEQA exemption and automatic zoning compliance to new homeless housing utilizing newly available state and federal funding.
“We’ve long dreamed about scooping up thousands of motel rooms and converting them into housing for our homeless neighbors,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “The terrible pandemic we’re facing has given us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy all these vacant properties, and we’re using federal stimulus money to do it. Hand in hand with our county partners, we are on the precipice of the most meaningful expansion of homeless housing in decades.”
The Homekey initiative builds upon the state’s current COVID-19 response effort, Project Roomkey, which has directly led to 15,678 hotel and motel rooms statewide being made available for this extremely vulnerable group of Californians. Over 14,200 people have been served by Project Roomkey motels since the epidemic began, according to estimates from the California Department of Social Services.
These Project Roomkey placements are spread across 52 counties and 293 hotels. The counties are responsible for identifying which individuals need a Project Roomkey placement, and then moving those individuals into the rooms.
In April, Governor Newsom announced a reimbursement partnership with FEMA, whereby local, state, and tribal governments are eligible to 75 percent cost-share for Project Roomkey activities, including hotel and motel rooms and wraparound supports such as meals, security, and custodial services.
These emergency protective measures are protecting public health by isolating the medically-vulnerable, thinning out the shelter population for social distancing, slowing the rate of spread of COVID-19 and, in turn, flattening the curve.
Homeless policy leaders and local elected officials have long called for hotel/motel conversion as a strategy to bring housing for the homeless online quickly and cost effectively.
Nan Roman, President & CEO, National Alliance to End Homelessness: “The National Alliance to End Homelessness commends Governor Newsom and the State for their innovative and unwavering commitment to reduce homelessness via Homekey. Homekey is the logical and much-needed next step to Project Roomkey, California’s smart strategy to protect people experiencing homelessness in the COVID-19 pandemic. Homekey recognizes that homelessness is a public health AND a housing crisis and seizes the opportunity of the moment to increase the state’s affordable housing stock and target new units to those most in need.”
Philip Mangano, former Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness for Presidents Obama and Bush: “Today Governor Newsom backs up his priority on homelessness with a $600 million investment to move homeless people off the streets and beyond shelters to starter homes. In his focus on housing through hotel/motel conversions the Governor is building on an initiative that reduced exposure to the virus and now offers a statewide strategic approach to produce more units faster and cheaper. That’s good for the taxpayer and good for homeless people.”
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Chair of the Big City Mayors Coalition: “California’s big cities feel the crisis of homelessness most acutely. On behalf of my dozen colleagues in the Big City Mayors Coalition, I express deep appreciation to Governor Gavin Newsom and Legislative leadership for creating the Homekey program, demonstrating their commitment to partner with our cities to confront the urgent needs of our unhoused residents. In unprecedented and uncertain times, we are grateful for the strong commitment of our state elected leaders to supporting cities on the front line working to end homelessness and human suffering.”
Heidi Marston, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA): “We’re grateful to Governor Newsom for his leadership and support of Project Roomkey. As a result of his quick and decisive actions, we were able to shelter more than 4,000 people most vulnerable to contracting COVID-19, providing not only a roof over their heads but a safe space to isolate. Through this endeavor, we’ve proven we can bring people indoors quickly through strong partnerships between government, business, and community leaders. We have built momentum that we will hope will help us move folks from Project Roomkey into permanent housing.”
Tomiquia Moss, Founder & Chief Executive, All Home California: “California’s homelessness crisis preceded the COVID-19 pandemic. The State was creative in its response with the Project Roomkey initiative ensuring a safe housing response during this public health crisis. Recognizing the opportunity to purchase hotels and motels and provide housing options for people experiencing homelessness, California continues to demonstrate leadership in responding to this crisis. This approach will secure thousands of units statewide working in partnership with cities and counties and community based organizations. It will take strategies like these during this economic and public health crisis to ensure our most vulnerable residents aren’t left behind.”
The Santa Ana City Council has approved a permanent site for the operation of a Year-Round Homeless Navigation Center and Recuperative Care Facility.
The new shelter at 1815 Carnegie Ave. will replace the City’s interim shelter, The Link, which is located one block away on Red Hill Avenue. The new location will allow the City of Santa Ana to continue providing shelter, social services and a path to permanent housing for homeless members of the community.
Since opening in November 2018, The Link has successfully placed 130 clients into permanent housing. The shelter works in conjunction with the City’s Quality of Life Team, Santa Ana Police Department and non-profit homeless service organizations, which together have referred almost 800 clients to The Link.
The City is required to provide a homeless shelter under the terms of a settlement agreement with Orange County Catholic Worker. The new shelter will have 200 beds, with the ability to add another 50 beds later, as required under the settlement.
The City Council on Tuesday, June 16, approved a contract with non-profit Illumination Foundation to operate the new facility.
“The Year-Round Homeless Navigation Center and Recuperative Care Facility will provide much needed services for those suffering from homelessness within our City,” Santa Ana Mayor Miguel A. Pulido said. “In partnership with Illumination Foundation, we aim to provide services with keen insight into the epidemic of homelessness and ultimately, disrupt the cyclical nature of this issue.”
Mayor Pro Tem Juan Villegas stated:
“I’m happy that we’ve found a location that will replace the link, which has achieved great success in helping our homeless residents get the services they need and find permanent housing. I’m certain our new shelter will continue this record of success.”
Councilmember Nelida Mendoza commented:
“With public safety in mind, the new homeless shelter on Carnegie Avenue is the best option for the community as it is located in an industrial area and not within close proximity to residential properties or schools. Our homeless population will be better served by the Illumination Foundation, which will provide mental health treatment and job skills training and ultimately help these residents find employment to obtain their own housing to end their cycle of homelessness.”
In order to decrease the impact to the surrounding neighborhood, access to bed availability will be through a reservation system. No walk-ins for the Homeless Navigation Center or services will be permitted. Security officers will be on-site and at shuttle locations.
Staff neighborhood patrol will monitor the surrounding area to control issues of loitering, abandoned property and other blight. Facility beds will be prioritized for use by persons who reside in Santa Ana.
The new shelter is expected to be completed in November 2020.
For more information about the City’s homeless services and outreach, please visit www.santa-ana.org/homelessness.
El Concejo Municipal de Santa Ana ha aprobado un sitio permanente para la operación de un Centro de Navegación para Personas sin Hogar y un Centro de Atención Recuperativa de Todo el Año.
El nuevo refugio en 1815 Carnegie Ave. reemplazará el refugio provisional de la Ciudad, The Link (el Enlace), que se encuentra a una cuadra de distancia en Red Hill Avenue. La nueva ubicación permitirá que la Ciudad de Santa Ana continúe brindando refugio, servicios sociales y un camino hacia la vivienda permanente para los miembros de la comunidad que no tienen hogar.
Desde su apertura en noviembre de 2018, The Link ha colocado exitosamente a 130 clientes en viviendas permanentes. El refugio trabaja en conjunto con el Equipo de Calidad de Vida de la Ciudad, el Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana y organizaciones sin fines de lucro de servicios para personas sin hogar, que en conjunto han derivado a casi 800 clientes a The Link.
La Ciudad debe proporcionar un refugio para personas sin hogar según los términos de un acuerdo de conciliación con el Trabajador Católico del Condado de Orange. El nuevo refugio tendrá 200 camas, con la capacidad de agregar otras 50 camas más tarde, según lo requiera el acuerdo.
El martes 16 de junio, el Concejo Municipal aprobó un contrato con the Illumination Foundation (la Fundación de Iluminación), una organización sin fines de lucro, para operar las nuevas instalaciones.
“El Centro de Navegación para Personas sin Hogar y Centro de Atención Recuperativa de Todo el Año proporcionarán servicios muy necesarios para aquellos que sufren de falta de vivienda en nuestra Ciudad”, dijo el alcalde de Santa Ana, Miguel A. Pulido. “En asociación con Illumination Foundation, nuestro objetivo es proporcionar servicios con una visión aguda de la epidemia de la falta de vivienda y, en última instancia, interrumpir la forma cíclica de este problema”.
El vice alcalde Juan Villegas declaró:
“Estoy feliz de haber encontrado una ubicación que reemplazará The Link, que ha logrado un gran éxito al ayudar a nuestros residentes sin hogar a obtener los servicios que necesitan y encontrar una vivienda permanente. Estoy seguro de que nuestro nuevo refugio continuará con este récord de éxito”.
La concejal Nelida Mendoza comentó:
“Con la seguridad pública en mente, el nuevo refugio para personas sin hogar en Carnegie Avenue es la mejor opción para la comunidad, ya que está ubicado en un área industrial y no muy cerca de propiedades residenciales o escuelas. Nuestra población sin hogar estará mejor atendida por la Illumination Foundation, que proporcionará tratamiento de salud mental y capacitación laboral y, en última instancia, ayudará a estos residentes a encontrar empleo para obtener su propia vivienda y poner fin a su ciclo de personas sin hogar”.
Para disminuir el impacto en el vecindario circundante, el acceso a las camas disponibles se realizará a través de un sistema de reservas. No se permitirán visitas sin cita previa para el Centro de navegación para indigentes ni para los servicios. Los oficiales de seguridad estarán en el sitio y en las ubicaciones de los transbordadores.
La patrulla del vecindario del personal supervisará el área circundante para controlar los problemas de holgazanear, propiedad abandonada y otros problemas. Las camas de las instalaciones serán priorizadas para uso de las personas que son residentes de Santa Ana.
Se espera que el nuevo refugio se complete en noviembre de 2020.
Para obtener más información sobre los servicios para personas sin hogar de la Ciudad y su alcance, visite www.santa-ana.org/homelessness.
SAN JOSÉ, CA – As the Governor and State Legislature negotiate a final budget, the Mayors of California’s largest cities, representing over 11 million people, laid out their most pressing statewide budget issues during a virtual press conference. The Mayors’ two major priorities are: 1) supporting the Legislature’s inclusion of $350 million in flexible funding for local governments dedicated to homelessness intervention and solutions implemented under previous one-time state allocations as outlined in the legislature’s budget; and 2) support for the Governor’s proposal to use $600 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Funds to acquire hotels and motels — and other homeless housing solutions. These priorities surfaced as California meets the unprecedented demand of dealing with twin crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, and homelessness, while the economy faces severe free fall.
“We appreciate that our legislative leaders have recognized that when California invests with cities, we can get housing built, shelters open, and homeless housed,” said Mayor Sam Liccardo, the head of Big City Mayors. “Yes, it will cost money, but it comes at a bargain compared to the cost of doing nothing.”
With the added impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, The Big City Mayors Coalition (BCM) wrote to Governor Gavin Newsom detailing their updated budget priorities. They continue to meet regularly with the Governor’s office, state legislative leadership and Budget Committee chairs throughout the budget process to ensure that the cities’ priorities are included. The Governor’s May Budget Revision reflected the BCM’s priorities. The BCM began advocacy for these issues in early March during a trip to Sacramento where they presented information on homeless investments and strategies deployed in their cities with state funding. The BCM also recently wrote to the Governor and legislative leadership to advocate for priorities, specifically the $350M included in the legislature’s budget.
The May Revision currently proposes $600 million for facilities and services to permanently house homeless populations including an allocation for Project Roomkey to purchase hotels/motels statewide. To support this priority, the Mayors sent a letter to state legislative leaders urging “as much flexibility in the use of these funds locally as the CARES Act will permit—by allowing the acquisition, rehab, and/or financing of other types of homeless housing, as well as the use of funds for operations and services.”
These flexible dollars are needed to support an ongoing source of homelessness dollars to ensure projects and interventions developed through previous one-time state funding, such as bridge housing, can continue to serve homeless residents. The Mayors also proposed an investment in homeless solutions that provides flexible dollars to California’s biggest cities.
As the budget process proceeds in the state capitol, the Big City Mayors coalition will continue to highlight the priorities of California’s residents and advocate for funding for the most pressing issues the state faces: COVID-19 and homelessness.
The Big City Mayors is a coalition of Mayors across California’s 13 largest cities. Members include Mayors from Los Angeles, San Diego, San José, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim, Riverside, Santa Ana, and Stockton.
Mayor Eric Garcetti – Los Angeles
“Every time the state invests in homelessness solutions, Los Angeles and all of our big cities turn those dollars into shelters and support for our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Even in a tough budget year, we need this additional state funding now, so we can acquire and operate hotels and motels, stand up more beds, bring more youth off of L.A.’s streets, and keep delivering vital services to residents on Skid Row — and I look forward to working with Governor Newsom and our partners in Sacramento to leverage these resources into housing, healing, and hope for Angelenos experiencing homelessness.”
Mayor Kevin Faulconer – San Diego
“As we recover from this health and economic crisis, now is not the time to let up on funding for cities to address one of the top issues in our state. Cities have always been on the front lines of addressing homelessness, and have a proven track record of turning state investments into local innovations that get a roof over people’s heads,” said San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer. “As San Diego is using this moment to shelter and house as many people as possible, it’s imperative that the Governor and legislature continue direct investments to California’s largest cities to make sure we exit this pandemic with fewer people living on the streets, not more.”
Mayor London Breed – San Francisco
“While San Francisco has made great progress in slowing the spread of COVID-19, the pandemic has only exacerbated the issues we were already facing around homelessness. We’re adapting to these new challenges to get people the care and shelter they need, and we look to the Governor and the State Legislature to offer flexible, comprehensive resources that will give San Francisco, and cities throughout California, the ability to continue this progress.”
Mayor Lee Brand – Fresno
“Before COVID-19, homelessness was our most pressing challenge. Now, as we battle the pandemic, not only does homelessness remain at the forefront, but could be made much worse by the virus and the accompanying economic fallout as we are just now starting to emerge from stay at home orders to protect public health. I want to thank Gov. Newsom for including $750 million in his May Revise budget proposal for facilities and services to permanently house homeless populations, but because of the budget challenges all of us are facing from COVID-19, it is more vital than ever that cities have the funding to help our most vulnerable people.”
Mayor Darrell Steinberg – Sacramento
“The Coronavirus pandemic has only underscored the urgency of which we must move to get people experiencing homelessness indoors,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “ I applaud the Legislature and Governor Newsom for including substantial resources to continue addressing California’s homeless crisis in their respective budget proposals. As negotiations conclude, I am hopeful the final budget will ensure cities receive the flexible resources we need to continue investing in solutions that get people off the streets and into housing.”
Mayor Robert Garcia – Long Beach
“Cities are on the front lines of supporting communities during this pandemic. It is absolutely critical for large cities that support much of the regional work to receive direct Coronavirus Relief Funds,” says Mayor Robert Garcia. “I would like to thank the Governor for his proposal to direct funding to all large cities that weren’t eligible to receive Coronavirus Relief Funds directly from the federal government. These dollars will be critical to supporting our health response and economic recovery.”
Mayor Libby Schaaf – Oakland
“As we face the triple crises of systemic racism, global pandemic and economic shutdown, our unhoused population is at highest risk,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. “We call on the Governor and the Legislature to provide direct homelessness funding to the areas most affected by homelessness, California’s 13 biggest cities.”
Mayor Harry Sidhu – Anaheim
“Partnering directly with cities is a proven model for California,” Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu said. “Together, we have met the coronavirus challenge and saved lives. But there is more to do. As a city advanced in addressing homelessness, Anaheim needs direct, flexible funding to build on our gains with shelters, affordable housing, outreach and services. At the same time, it is critical that our state budget recognizes the unique role of Anaheim and other midsize cities. We have always been a great investment for California and will continue to be as we partner together on recovery.”
Mayor Miguel Pulido – Santa Ana
“Santa Ana and the entire State of California were already facing a homelessness crisis, but the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare our economic and housing inequities. The proposed funding will provide essential support to cities that have been on the front lines of these two emergencies. This isn’t just about protecting public health – offering housing and support to the most vulnerable members of our communities is simply the right thing to do.”
Mayor Rusty Bailey – Riverside
“Together we have moved over 9,400 homeless neighbors into shelter in a few months”, said Mayor Rusty Bailey from Riverside. “We make progress when we collaborate, focus resources, and allow flexibility to meet local needs. I commend our Governor and legislative leaders for prioritizing our most vulnerable residents in this year’s budget, it is unacceptable to launch these same people back onto the streets now that we have established trust with them. We must never forget that beneath the stigmas associated with homelessness are real people with real dreams.”
Mayor Michael Tubbs – Stockton
“Cities in particular drive our nation’s engines of prosperity, but are also the epicenter of coronavirus outbreaks,” said Mayor Michael Tubbs. “It’s no surprise that pre-COVID-19 issues such as homelessness and housing have only been exacerbated by this pandemic and are draining our city coffers at an alarming rate. Being a former mayor himself, Governor Gavin Newsom understands the importance of supporting cities during a time of crisis and that funding must be made a priority in our most populated areas of our state.”
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 38-year-old man has been charged with poisoning eight homeless people, including an elderly person, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, in a series of attacks that were videotaped to record the victims’ reactions to eating food laced with oleoresin capsicum, which is twice as strong as the pepper spray used by police.
The victims, who were all poisoned in the City of Huntington Beach, suffered a variety of symptoms including seizure-like symptoms, difficulty breathing, vomiting, and intense mouth and stomach pain. Several of the victims required hospitalization.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel, Huntington Beach Mayor Lyn Semeta, Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates, and Huntington Beach Police Chief Robert Handy are asking for the public’s help in identifying additional victims and suspects in connection with the series of poisonings which began in mid-May.
“These human beings were preyed upon because they are vulnerable,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “They were exploited and poisoned as part of a twisted form of entertainment, and their pain was recorded so that it could be relived by their attacker over and over again. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the Huntington Beach Police Department are committed to identifying any and all perpetrators responsible and getting justice for all of these individuals who were victimized in these attacks.”
Many of the victims were unaware the food they were being given had been tampered with prior to eating it. Several victims were given other food and beer to entice them to eat the poisoned food.
William Robert Cable, 38, of San Andreas, has been charged with eight felony counts of poisoning, one felony count of inflicting injury on an elderly person, eight misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and an infraction for consuming alcohol or smoking marijuana while driving.
He faces a maximum of 19 years and three months if convicted on all charges. Cable is currently being held at the Orange County Jail on $500,000 bail.
Cable was arrested on May 22, 2020 by the Huntington Beach Police Department.
“The cruel nature of these crimes shocks the conscience of our community,” said Huntington Beach Mayor Lyn Semeta. “I am proud of the persistence of our HBPD detectives in finding those responsible for these heinous acts. We also appreciate our partnership with the District Attorney’s office in the continued pursuit of this important investigation.”
“The inhumane nature of the crimes combined with targeting a vulnerable population shocks the conscience,” said Huntington Beach Police Chief Robert Handy. “The fact an adult criminal would involve a juvenile is even more reprehensible. I am proud of the extraordinary effort put into solving this case by our police officers, detectives and also our firefighters who reported suspicious circumstances from observations while treating the victims.”
Some of the victims were told they were participating in a “spicy food challenge” before being given the food laced with oleoresin capsicum; others were not.
“Crime of any kind is intolerable, but this one is particularly disturbing,” said Orange County City Attorney Michael Gates. “I am grateful to the Huntington Beach Police for the investigation and arrest of the suspect, and grateful to the Orange County District Attorney, Todd Spitzer, for his department’s handling of the prosecution.”
“Orange County has worked hard to address the homeless crises. It is unacceptable to see someone target these vulnerable people. These individuals do not deserve to become the target of acts of cruelty simply because they are homeless ,” said Michelle Steel, Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. “I am grateful for the quick response of the Huntington Beach Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s office to ensure these criminals are no longer able to prey on the vulnerable members of society.”
On 4/18/20, at approximately 11:15 AM, the pictured suspect attempted to gain entry into the Salvation Army Hospitality House building located at 818 E. 3rd St., in Santa Ana.
The victim did not allow the suspect inside and began to close the door. The suspect grabbed the door and attempted to force it open. The victim continued to pull the door shut, at which time the suspect punched the victim in the face. At the same time, the suspect pulled the prescription eyeglasses from the victim’s face. The suspect fled on foot, eastbound on 3rd Street, with the victim’s glasses.
The Hospitality House opened its doors in the city of Santa Ana in 1964 and has been a beacon of hope and transformation to thousands of individuals. according to the Salvation Army. The 75-bed residential emergency shelter is a place where spiritual and physical comfort is given 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.
Anyone with information identifying the wanted suspect in this case contact Detective Greaver at (714) 245-8362 or DGreaver@santa-ana.org.
The City of Santa Ana has taken a variety of steps to assist homeless individuals and families during the COVID-19 crisis. The City of Santa Ana is following Federal, State, and County guidelines to help flatten the curve of COVID-19 and will continue to adjust services in the interest of the community.
The Link is a 24-hour emergency homeless shelter facility in Santa Ana that is ADA accessible and serves homeless individuals. The building houses three dormitories for men, women and families, as well as a children’s area, full bathroom facilities and more, which will enable individuals from Santa Ana experiencing homelessness to focus on transitioning into permanent housing and opportunities for employment. The Link Homeless Shelter is operated by Mercy House, a non-profit organization, under a contract with the City.
Below is an update on the adjustments that have been made at the Link and other measures being taken to avoid spreading the coronavirus and protect the homeless.
The Link Takes Steps to Stop the Spread of COVID-19:
• The Link Homeless Shelter is following CDC guidelines that will help stop the spread of COVID-19 by restructuring the shelter to accommodate social distancing.
• Transportation in and out of the Link shelter has been limited to only verifiable appointments, in accordance with the State’s “stay-at-home” order.
• Last week, the City received its allocation of 22 trailers from the State of California to be utilized as an additional resource for The Link shelter.
Outreach to Homeless Individuals:
The City of Santa Ana’s Quality of Life Team (QOLT) as well as its contractor, City Net, continues to conduct outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness. During the daily outreach, individuals are being asked if they believe they have any COVID-19 symptoms and if so, screenings and appropriate measures are taken.
Expanding Housing Options for Homeless Individuals Needing Quarantine or Isolation:
One of the top priorities since the COVID-19 pandemic has been to identify sites that will allow individuals to isolate/quarantine due to COVID-19. Those sites are also available for individuals who are extremely at-risk or vulnerable to the coronavirus. This approach aims to slow the virus’ spread by keeping individuals out of shelters or encampments and lowering the risk of exposure to the community. The local response is evolving rapidly and various sites are being identified to assist not only homeless individuals, but also first responders should the need for quarantine/isolation arise.
OTHER RESOURCES
For COVID-19 updates and resources from the City of Santa Ana, go to www.santa-ana.org/covid19 and follow @CityofSantaAna on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; sign up to receive email and text alerts at Nixle.com; download the mySantaAna app; and join Nextdoor.com to connect with neighbors and get City news.
TO VOLUNTEER OR DONATE TO THE LINK SHELTER:
Please visit Mercy House at: https://mercyhouse.net/covid19/ or https://mercyhouse.net/volunteer/
The NIMBY’s in north Santa Ana have been gnashing their teeth of late about the homeless shenanigans at the vacant office building at 2525 N. Main St. but what is happening there is just the tip of the iceberg.
The developer at that property ended up shuttering it entirely. He is paying for roving mobile security daily and all night. But what about all the other vacant properties in Santa Ana?
One reader sent me a comment today that he found a homeless vagrant in his secure apartment complex, sleeping. This is surely not an isolated incident.
As we all shelter in place and avoid social contact the businesses the homeless relied on for dumpster diving no longer have much food in their trash cans.
A trio of vagrants recently killed one of their own at Santiago Park. They were all known for panhandling. I suspect that this murder was just a sign of the unrest and desperation in that community.
Vagrants also recently broke into and vandalized the Lawn Bowling Center at Santiago Park. There is roving mobile security now in our parks but these miscreants must have timed their attack.
Even worse the SAPD is hand-tied right now as they know the Courts don’t want to be bogged down with misdemeanors and the O.C. Sheriff is already releasing criminals from jail early as officials try to keep COVID-19 from infecting everyone there including jail employees.
This is all happening while certain Santa Ana City Council members keep attacking the concept of sheltering the homeless in our city. Yes there are a few shelters but most of the homeless in our streets cannot gain access to shelter in many cases because they cannot prove a connection to Santa Ana.
Leaving these people in the street is a recipe for disaster! It is a certainty that COVID-19 will eventually infect them. They will in turn carry that infection into our public parks and streets.
Right now, for example, the homeless have few options when it comes to using the restroom. Most businesses have closed. There are few public options. At night, when the park restrooms are closed, there are no options at all. Where do you suppose they are defecating? Doctors say that the COVID-19 virus can be spread through fecal matter. Imagine tracking that into your home if you step on it?
Many of our readers on Facebook have been sending me pictures of the homeless breaking into vacant properties. This will only get worse as the pandemic continues.
At some point I suspect we are going to start seeing outright rioting, looting and home invasions.
I have no answers for this disaster and I am dismayed that our city leaders are just ignoring this. In most cases their only answer is to say that other cities should be sheltering the homeless. Well maybe so but this is a crisis here and now! We can’t just kick the ball down the road any more.
What will we do when reports come in about an elderly couple that was home invaded and killed? I assure you this is going to happen and soon if we don’t do something.
Due to the Governor’s activation of the National Guard to assist in food and supplies distribution, the Cold Weather Emergency Shelters located at the Fullerton and Santa Ana National Guard Armories will be relocated by Tuesday.
The Emergency Cold Weather Shelter in Fullerton will be relocated to the Independence Park Gymnasium, 801 W. Valencia Drive. The shelter includes ample, secured outdoor space for persons to remain during daylight hours.
The Santa Ana Cold Weather Emergency Shelter will be relocated to the Salvation Army site at 2603 W. First St. in Santa.
The Cold Weather Emergency Shelters are scheduled to close on April 15, but the County is working with City partners to extend that date and continue 24-hour access to address the current situation.
While housed at the Cold Weather Emergency Shelters individuals will receive supportive services including medical and housing, and will be entered into the County’s Coordinated Entry System for future housing opportunities and continued services.
The County is working to develop alternate locations to shelter COVID-19 symptomatic and vulnerable homeless persons.
For medical questions about COVID-19, please call the OC Health Care Agency’s (HCA) Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448, visit http://www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus, or follow the HCA on Facebook (@ochealthinfo) and Twitter (@ochealth).
For non-medical questions, contact the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085.
The County of Orange is exploring all precautionary and preventative measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within the homeless population.
The County has identified short-term strategies that provide alternative placement for sheltered individuals who are elderly and/or those who have severe underlying health conditions. This includes about 80 recuperative care beds available for sheltered individuals considered high risk due to age or underlying health conditions. Additionally, the County is deploying medical tents, cots, blankets, privacy dividers and handwashing stations to shelters, and seeks to make resources available as soon as possible. The County will be issuing guidance to shelter providers countywide, which provides clarity and direction regarding recently issued State and Federal guidance.
The County is working with the State of California to vet State-identified resources, as well as evaluating motels and hotels that have expressed interest in assisting during this public health crisis.
At this time the Fullerton and Santa Ana Armories are scheduled to be operational through April 15; however, the County is in constant communication with the State regarding use of the Armories.
Individuals experiencing homelessness and/or homeless service providers are encouraged to call either OC Health Care Agency’s Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448 or the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085 if they have any questions regarding COVID-19.
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For general information about COVID-19, please call the OC Health Care Agency’s (HCA) Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448, visit http://www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus, or follow the HCA on Facebook (@ochealthinfo) and Twitter (@ochealth).
For non-medical questions, contact the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085.
The SAUSD is holding a community information meeting on the proposed Yale Transitional Center on March 19, 2020.
The meeting will be held at the gym at Valley High School, located at 1801 S. Greenville, in Santa Ana.
This center will be a homeless shelter located in a light industrial area south of Centennial Park.
Interpreting and childcare services will be provided.
The Santa Ana City Council has unanimously approved a resolution opposing the County of Orange’s construction of a 425-bed homeless shelter on Yale Street in southwest Santa Ana.
The resolution also declares the Council’s opposition to the construction and operation of a County shelter “anywhere else in Santa Ana until the County of Orange is operating a proportional amount of shelter beds in the South Service Planning Area as exists in the Central and North Service Planning Areas.” The signed resolution was delivered today to the Board of Supervisors to notify them of the City of Santa Ana’s official stance, which the Council approved on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
“The City of Santa Ana, its residents and business community are sick and tired of having the County treat us as their dumping ground for the homeless,” said Mayor Miguel Pulido. “They need to quit pushing for homeless shelters in the middle of our city’s neighborhoods, releasing their jail inmates within our city’s boundaries and concentrating most of their homeless services within Santa Ana. We have had enough.”
The City has a long history of providing services to combat homelessness for Santa Ana individuals and families. The City last year established a Homeless Strategic Plan and spends about $17 million annually to address homelessness and its impacts.
In January 2018, the City formed the Quality of Life Team, a multi-disciplinary working group consisting of various City departments and community organizations that work together to provide outreach to people experiencing homelessness and to help them get access to social services, housing and other resources.
In January 2020 alone, the team made 725 contacts with individuals experiencing homelessness. Of those, 495 were determined to not be from Santa Ana. Additionally, The Link, a 200-bed shelter funded by the City of Santa Ana, has placed 118 homeless individuals in housing. The City hosts a total of 785 year-round shelter beds, as well as a 200-bed winter shelter at the Armory. As of fall 2019, Santa Ana had 408 units of homeless supportive housing and approximately 1,600 units of affordable housing.
The City has taken legal action against the County of Orange and other entities to curb the influx of homeless into Santa Ana.
“Santa Ana should and does provide shelter beds for its own homeless population, but I am opposed to opening any new shelters to house homeless individuals who come here from outside of our city,” Ward 1 Councilmember Vicente Sarmiento said.
Ward 2 Councilmember David Penaloza stated: “The Board of Supervisors owes an apology to the residents of Santa Ana. For the past year, I have been yelling from the mountaintops that we need to hold the County accountable and demand that they stop dumping their homeless problem on the residents of Santa Ana.”
“This resolution may be largely symbolic, but the homelessness crisis in Santa Ana and throughout Orange County is very real,” said Ward 3 Councilmember Jose Solorio. “I’m optimistic that more cities will ultimately do the right thing and develop shelters, permanent supportive housing units, and drug and mental health treatment programs for their homeless residents.”
“The City of Santa Ana, its residents and its businesses cannot continue to shoulder the disproportionate impacts that the homeless crisis is having in Orange County, while our neighbors to the south do very minimal to address it, if anything at all,” Ward 4 Councilmember Phil Bacerra said.
Mayor Pro Tem Juan Villegas of Ward 5 stated: “This resolution shows the City Council is united in its stance against the Yale Street homeless shelter and the transport of homeless into our community, but we must give it teeth by aggressively pursuing other solutions.”
“This resolution is a start, but we need to use every legal tool at our disposal to send a stronger message to the County and tell them that the buck stops here,” Ward 6 Councilmember Cecilia Iglesias said. “We are living in a state of emergency here in Santa Ana.”
COSTA MESA – Earlier today Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he intends to use Fairview Developmental Center in Costa Mesa as a site to house the homeless. This announcement comes on the heels of his State of the State address on Wednesday in which he discussed the need to solve California’s growing homelessness crisis.
In response to this sudden announcement, Senator John Moorlach released the following statement:
“I am disappointed the Governor has rushed to announce his intention to use Fairview Developmental Center as a homeless shelter before doing the site assessment I negotiated in the fiscal year 2017-18 budget to evaluate the feasibility and best use of the property. Orange County, much like the rest of California, is facing a crisis surrounding mental health and homelessness which must be addressed in a smart, consistent and safe way. This rush to place homeless Californians on a property where there is an uncertain determination of its disposition is premature and reactive. And it doesn’t consider the many good-faith discussions I’ve tried to have with this and the previous Administration over the last five years.
I’m proud of the progress that has been made in Orange County by its agencies and the medical and nonprofit community to build a system of care for the mentally ill. Engaging mental health professionals, while crafting public policy and using public resources, is essential to getting this right. The Fairview property provides a unique opportunity to provide services in a safe, secure and effective way. I would ask Governor Newsom to consider the needs of Orange County and the work that is already being done here. And I call on him to be a part of the solutions already being pursued, rather than rush to use Fairview as a Band-Aid by converting the property into a homeless shelter.”
Fairview is a 116-acre state-owned property in the heart of Costa Mesa that has been used as a medical facility to treat the developmentally disabled for the last 60 years. The site has been gradually closing for the past five years and is scheduled to be fully shut down by 2022. The announcement of Fairview’s closure has begun a discussion on the future use of the property.
Senator John M. W. Moorlach represents California’s 37th Senate District. He is a member of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus and previously Chaired Orange County’s Commission to End Homelessness while a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
SACRAMENTO – A day after meeting with officials from cities across California on the front lines of the homelessness crisis, Governor Gavin Newsom today highlighted the 286 state-owned properties available to local governments to use for homelessness solutions. The Governor called on local leaders to review the sites available in their regions and invited officials to work with the state to develop housing and shelter proposals that help move people off the streets. The state is offering local governments $1 leases on state owned-property, and the $650 million in State Emergency Homeless Aid can be used to build out sites.
“As a former mayor I get that localism is determinative and that all levels of government must work together to get Californians off the street and into housing and supportive services,” said Governor Newsom. “The state is stepping up by making land available to cities and counties willing to meet this moment head-on. I invite local leaders to use this land on what works for their community’s homeless needs so that we can begin to make meaningful progress to help individuals experiencing homelessness.”
The Governor announced the release of these properties as part of his State of the State address Wednesday. They include vacant lots, fairgrounds, armories and other state buildings – and were identified as part of the Governor’s executive order requiring state agencies to take urgent action to make state properties and facilities available to rapidly increase housing and shelter options. The Department of General Services has developed an interactive map of the available properties, which will continue to be updated as it works with local governments on the suitability of parcels for temporary shelter.
In his State of the State address, Governor Newsom called on all levels of government to step up their efforts to combat the homelessness crisis, and laid out his Administration’s five-part approach – reducing street homelessness quickly and humanely through emergency actions, a laser focus on getting the mentally ill out of tents and into treatment, providing stable funding to get sustainable results, tackling the underproduction of affordable housing in California, and doing all of this with real accountability and consequences.
Following his State of the State address, the Governor will travel the state meeting with service providers and homeless individuals and hearing directly from Californians about his Administration’s homelessness response. He kicked off this tour in Yountville yesterday, where he met with over 50 leaders at the League of California Cities meeting, outlining his vision and inviting partnerships.
The Governor has released the full $650 million in State Emergency Homeless Aid and issued a challenge for cities and counties to partner with the state on immediate impact solutions to tackle homelessness. On the heels of his proposed budget featuring more than $1 billion to fight homelessness, and executive order on homelessness, Governor Newsom last month traveled to San Diego, Oakland, Grass Valley, Riverside, Los Angeles and Fresno, participating in a local point-in-time count and meeting with staff and residents at shelters, a board and care home, and a crisis stabilization center.
The cities of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano have assured the City of Santa Ana in writing that they have not transported homeless individuals from their cities to Santa Ana and have no plans to do so.
In response to these assurances, the City of Santa Ana today dismissed its federal lawsuit against the three South County cities. The case was dismissed without prejudice, which means that should these cities again propose to transport homeless to Santa Ana, the City of Santa Ana could take legal action.
The County of Orange remains a defendant in the case filed on Jan. 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Southern Division.
The complaint alleges that the County of Orange has established homeless services almost exclusively in Santa Ana, resulting in the City shouldering a greater and inequitable share of the burden of a countywide problem. In addition to the 200-bed Armory winter shelter, the County operates a 450-bed year-round shelter in downtown Santa Ana with plans to replace it with a similar sized shelter also in Santa Ana.
In recent years, the city of Santa Ana has been compelled to spend millions of dollars from its general fund to address health and safety concerns attributable to the homeless population now living here, the complaint states. The City of Santa Ana also operates its own 200-bed shelter for Santa Ana homeless.
Today’s dismissal does not affect a second lawsuit filed Jan. 13 in Orange County Superior Court against Orange County Association for Mental Health, doing business as Mental Health Association of Orange County, and BT Investment Properties, LLC.
In that case, the City of Santa Ana alleges that the operation of the Homeless Multi-Service Center by the Mental Health Association in Santa Ana has resulted in negative impacts to public health, safety and welfare. The City further alleges that the multi-service center is not in compliance with the City’s zoning code.
BT Investment Properties is the owner of the property where the Multi-Service Center is located.