Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
OC mayors have proposed a new site — in an unincorporated area — to shelter homeless people
Listen
• 0:55
Location suggested by Orange County mayors for a new homeless shelter. Judge David O. Carter had instructed them to find locations outside of the central county,
(
Google Maps
)
Orange County officials had said they would build a homeless shelter somewhere in the purple area, though they did not specify where before Irvine shot it down the proposal.
(
Orange County
)
A capped landfill that was the proposed site of a homeless shelter in Huntington Beach.
(
Emily Guerin/KPCC
)
The original site proposed for a homeless shelter in Irvine sat near Interstate 5 and an Amtrak line. It was rejected after residents protested, and the mayor said chemical contamination and a lack of infrastructure make it "not a place fit for human habitation."
(
Emily Guerin/KPCC
)
The closest houses to the original Irvine homeless site are in a gated community protected by an 8-foot wall.
(
Emily Guerin/KPCC
)
Dry water fountains at the shuttered Old Laguna Niguel City Hall. The site was proposed for a temporary homeless shelter but community backlash derailed Orange County officials plans.
(
Emily Guerin / KPCC
)
A peek inside Old Laguna Niguel City Hall, which shut down in 2011.
(
Emily Guerin / KPCC
)
()
Skateboard marks mar the stairs at Old Laguna Niguel City Hall. The site has been shuttered since 2011.
(
Emily Guerin / KPCC
)
()
A large field separates homes from the Old Laguna Niguel City Hall where Orange County has proposed housing 100 homeless people in a temporary shelter.
(
Emily Guerin
)
Orange County mayors met Thursday to pick a new site to house homeless people, potentially including some of the hundreds evicted this year from encampments near Angels Stadium and the Santa Ana Civic Center.
Federal Judge David O. Carter had challenged cities in South Orange County to find a place for the homeless away from Santa Ana, which he said had hosted the lion's share of the county's unsheltered homeless population.
The county initially approved three sites in Irvine, Laguna Niguel and Huntington Beach, but later backed down under protest from residents.
The location proposed by the mayors is on the former site of Silverado Elementary, a shuttered school in the foothills of Orange County, east of Irvine.
Support for LAist comes from
The area is remote -- maybe even more so than the other sites, which homeless advocates had already criticized. They raised concerns about access to services, transportation and jobs, since the goal is to move as many people as possible off the the streets permanently.
So why was this site picked? Part of the reason may be that it's in unincorporated Orange County, and the supervisor who represents that area, Todd Spitzer, wasn't at the meeting when the decision was made.
"There isn't a city and there wasn't a mayor of that area there to say 'Hey, hey, not in my backyard,'" said Irvine Mayor Donald Wagner.
Spitzer had not yet returned calls from KPCC seeking comment when this story was published.
So how does this site compare to the ones that were rejected?
Irvine
The original Irvine location would have housed 200 homeless people.
Support for LAist comes from
Orange County officials had said they would build a homeless shelter somewhere in the purple area, though they did not specify where before Irvine shot it down the proposal.
(
Orange County
)
The plan was to put a shelter somewhere on a 100-acre plot of county land south of the Great Park in Irvine.
What's there now? An empty field near a freeway, with lots of construction equipment around and a chain link fence dividing it from a soccer field. The closest homes are in a gated community with an 8-foot wall.
The closest houses to the original Irvine homeless site are in a gated community protected by an 8-foot wall.
(
Emily Guerin/KPCC
)
Wagner said chemical contamination and a lack of infrastructure make it a poor choice for a shelter. "It is not a place fit for human habitation."
The original site proposed for a homeless shelter in Irvine sat near Interstate 5 and an Amtrak line. It was rejected after residents protested, and the mayor said chemical contamination and a lack of infrastructure make it "not a place fit for human habitation."
(
Emily Guerin/KPCC
)
Laguna Niguel
A former courthouse in Laguna Niguel that closed in 2008 would have housed an additional 100 people. Homes are visible across a large field from the shuttered courthouse.
Support for LAist comes from
A large field separates homes from the Old Laguna Niguel City Hall where Orange County has proposed housing 100 homeless people in a temporary shelter.
(
Emily Guerin
)
In this case, Laguna Niguel's mayor argued it wasn't isolated enough. Mayor Elaine Genneway noted that the building is behind City Hall, borders a residential area and is across the street from a daycare.
She also said that nearby public transportation was inadequate and it's far from county services. That meant using the location would "drain financial resources, not contribute to them."
Skateboard marks mar the stairs at Old Laguna Niguel City Hall. The site has been shuttered since 2011.
(
Emily Guerin / KPCC
)
Huntington Beach
The Huntington Beach site is a capped landfill that city officials say is contaminated and poses health hazards. It also would have sheltered 100 people.
City Attorney Michael Gates called the site "incompatible" with a facility for homeless people. And remember Judge Carter's challenge to find locations in South Orange County? Huntington Beach does not meet it.
Support for LAist comes from
Here's what that location looks like:
A capped landfill that was the proposed site of a homeless shelter in Huntington Beach.
(
Emily Guerin/KPCC
)
Wagner, speaking to KPCC after Thursday’s meeting, said he believed that the shuttered Silverado Elementary school is the best option for a shelter.
The property is owned by the county, so the mayors still need to take their proposal to the Board of Supervisors. Then they'll reconvene on May 10.
Neighbors of the new site have yet to weigh in.
Carter has consistently told city officials that they cannot shut down encampments, including large-scale sites along the Santa Ana River and at the county's headquarters in Santa Ana, without providing beds and services to those being evicted.
FOR THE RECORD: In a version of this story than ran on air on Thursday, the location of the school was described as being in a populated neighborhood. That description was based on incorrect information returned by a map search tool. KPCC regrets the error.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs. -
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
Best of LAist