Orange County Supervisors Approve Cold Weather Shelter in Fullerton

The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Jan. 24 a impermanent acold upwind structure for the stateless successful Fullerton, ending a six-month search.

The installation volition beryllium located astatine Independence Park’s gymnasium, providing 90 beds, Doug Becht, the manager of operations for the Orange County Health Care Agency, said during the board’s meeting.

Becht said the structure volition service arsenic an “immediate respite from acold weather” successful summation to connecting the stateless to societal services for imperishable housing.

It volition run from Feb. 1 done the extremity of March oregon into April, depending connected the need, from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. Each staying determination volition beryllium provided a lukewarm dinner, blistery shower, and breakfast, Becht said.

He besides said the gymnasium volition beryllium fenced disconnected from the remainder of the parkland “to guarantee the smallest interaction connected the community.”

The region volition besides supply proscription astatine 2 shutter sites successful Fullerton to autobus the stateless successful and retired of the shelter, helium said.

The non-profit People Assisting the Homeless, oregon PATH, volition run the shelter. The organization, which works passim California, locates lodging for the stateless and helps recently sheltered radical stay successful their homes.

The region agreed to wage the non-profit conscionable implicit $595,000 from present until April 15 for their services, and different $7,500 per period to Fullerton for renting the facility.

Fullerton City Councilman Ahmad Zahra spoke during the gathering asking the committee to o.k. the structure successful his district.

“We successful Fullerton are committed to solving homelessness,” helium said.

Independence Park’s gymnasium successful Fullerton, Calif., connected Jan. 18, 2023. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The region began looking for a acold upwind structure successful July, according to Supervisor Doug Chaffee, but received nary responses to its bid for a location.

In October, officials began negotiations with the Salvation Army to tally specified a structure successful downtown Santa Ana.

But the nonprofit backed retired aft facing absorption from Santa Ana metropolis officials, who argued that surrounding cities bash not bash their portion to code homelessness.

Then the region went to Fullerton, whose representatives voted earlier this month to marque the gymnasium available.

Chaffee said during the gathering that helium is “very pleased” his hometown is providing the facility.

“I convey Fullerton for stepping up, and I look guardant to the structure opening rapidly,” helium said.

Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, who is the erstwhile politician of Santa Ana, said the region should look into rotating the work for specified among each Orange County cities and besides expressed gratitude to Fullerton.

“Thank you for stepping up and providing that site. It’s been a pugnacious season,” helium said.