Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: homeless

OCDA to seek the death penalty against former Marine Itzcoatl Ocampo

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, homeless, Lawyers, Military, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release: May 21, 2012
Contacts:
Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

OCDA TO SEEK DEATH PENALTY AGAINST FORMER MARINE FOR STABBING-MURDER OF MOTHER AND SON IN YORBA LINDA AND SERIAL MURDERS OF FOUR HOMELESS MEN

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) announced today that he will seek the death penalty against a former Marine for the stabbing-murder of a mother and her son in Yorba Linda and murdering four homeless men in a serial thrill-kill spree. Continue reading→

Mayor Pulido agrees with me, we should house the homeless at the Great Park

Posted on by Posted in homeless, irvine, John Moorlach, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Santa Ana 14 Comments

When Supervisor John Moorlach, who is the current Chairman of the O.C. Board of Supervisors, suggested in January that we turn the defunct bus station into a permanent homeless shelter, I suggested, “Why not set up a permanent encampment for the homeless over at the Great Park in Irvine?  They have plenty of space.  I am sure the OCTA can set up a bus line to give them rides to their new home.”

Apparently Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido read my post.  He told the O.C. Register this week that “Long term the Great Park, whose board he sits on, could become a resource, providing space for housing and a rehabilitation center.” Continue reading→

Seasonal Orange County homeless emergency shelters closing on 4/10

Posted on by Posted in homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29, 2012

CONTACT: Karen Roper (714) 480-2805

SEASONAL HOMELESS EMERGENCY SHELTERS TO CLOSE

(Santa Ana, CA) – On April 10, 2012 the Armory Emergency Shelter Program will close. The Armory Program, which opened on December 1, 2012, is a seasonal program that provides up to 400 beds for homeless families and individuals. The program provides shelter to the homeless along with a nutritious meal, warm shower, safe place to sleep, warm clothes, a wide variety of supportive services, and a friendly and safe atmosphere. The shelters are located at the National Guard Armories in Fullerton and Santa Ana. To date this season, the Armory Program has served 1,475 unduplicated individuals; however, final figures are not available until after the program closes.
In recent years, Federal, state and local funding available for shelter, especially emergency shelter, has declined. The County of Orange funds over 65% of the program cost. Additional funding was provided by the State of California Emergency Housing and Assistance Program, private foundations, and neighboring cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, Santa Ana, and Tustin. Continue reading→

HUD $3.5 Million grant award to Orange County to fund homeless services

Posted on by Posted in Federal Government, homeless, Housing, Military, Orange County, Santa Ana, Veterans Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29, 2012
CONTACT: Karen Roper (714) 480-2805

COUNTY AWARDED $2.5 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FOR HOMELESS SERVICES
HUD GRANT WILL DIRECTLY ASSIST THE COUNTY’S POPULATION OF HOMELESS FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS

(Santa Ana, CA) – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently awarded $2,522,824 in new project funding to the County of Orange in homeless assistance funding under the 2011 Continuum of Care programs grant competition. The annual grant competition and the grant award to the County of Orange, with OC Community Services as the lead agency, is a direct result of the County’s partnership with cities and homeless service organizations to address the issue of homelessness in Orange County. This collaborative effort is part of a regional plan aimed at breaking the cycle of homelessness. Continue reading→

O.C. Housing Authority receives $884,560 grant to assist homeless veterans

Posted on by Posted in Federal Government, homeless, Housing, Military, Orange County, Santa Ana, Veterans Leave a comment

Orange County Housing Authority receives $884,560 to assist homeless Veterans through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29, 2012

CONTACT: Karen Roper (714) 480-2805

(Santa Ana, CA) – The Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA) has been awarded $884,560 to further expand its ongoing Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (VASH). This funding is a portion of $75 million appropriated to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for 2012 in a coordinated effort involving HUD, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and local housing authorities to provide permanent housing for homeless veterans in conjunction with supportive services. Continue reading→

OCTA bus terminal is no place for the homeless, according to city planners

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, homeless, Housing, Orange County, Paul Walters, Santa Ana 3 Comments

The Santa Ana Planning and Building Agency fired back today at those who are trying to force the City of Santa Ana to turn the vacant OCTA terminal building into permanent housing for the homeless.   The Planning Agency  sent a memo to City Manager Paul Walters, that you can read here, explaining in great detail why this is a very dumb idea.  Walters, in turn, sent that memo to the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

The memo makes it clear that the City of Santa Ana wants to do its share to end homelessness, but the OCTA bus terminal building simply is not an appropriate place to shelter the homeless, for a number of reasons, including: Continue reading→

O.C. Homelessness panel delays turning S.A. bus station into shelter

Posted on by Posted in homeless, Housing, Huntington Beach, John Moorlach, Orange County, Santa Ana 1 Comment

The OC Commission to End Homelessness voted to encourage the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) to give the County and the City of Santa Ana more time to address the city’s concerns, with regard to turning a vacant bus station in downtown Santa Ana into a shelter for the homeless, according to the O.C. Board of Supervisors Chairman John Moorlach’s blog.

Moorlach wrote that “The original recommendation was simply to encourage the County to purchase the Santa Ana Transit Station.  In an effort to provide good dialogue, I did reach out to Acting City Manager Paul Walters earlier this week to inform him of the agenda item at this morning’s meeting (Paul is also a member of the Commission).  You can see from the Voice of OC what happened after the heads up.  For the record, I abstained on the vote because I am on the Board of Supervisors and the Board of OCTA.” Continue reading→

Second Harvest and Bisnar Chase attorneys feed 150 O.C. families

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Charities, Food, homeless Leave a comment

Second Harvest Food Bank and Bisnar Chase Feed 150 Orange County, California Families

Orange County Personal Injury Attorneys BISNAR CHASE team up with Second Harvest Food Bank for the fifth time to feed the area’s hungry.

(PRWEB) February 17, 2012

The California Personal Injury Attorneys of BISNAR CHASE teamed up with Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County recently to feed more than 150 families in Orange County, California. Continue reading→

Moorlach wants to house the homeless in the old Santa Ana bus station

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Development, homeless, Housing, Orange County, Republican Party, Santa Ana, Seniors, Transportation, Working Families 8 Comments

New Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman John Moorlach has challenged “officials from the city of Santa Ana over his plans to use a defunct bus station in the midst of Santa Ana’s downtown to feed, and potentially house, homeless people,” according to the Voice of OC.

Our County government has done a poor job of serving the homeless.  They freeze at night for lack of beds and four of them were killed in recent weeks by a serial killer.  But hasn’t the City of Santa Ana been impacted enough by this? Continue reading→

Itzcoatl Ocampo charges and O.C. District Attorney’s remarks

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Contacts: Laura Eimiller, Spokesperson, FBI, LA Office, Office:310-996-3343
Susan Schroeder, Chief of Staff, OCDA, 714-347-8408, Cell:714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, OCDA, 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 17, 2012

OCDA FILES MULTIPLE MURDER CHARGES AGAINST FORMER MARINEFOR SERIAL THRILL-KILL SPREE OF FOUR HOMELESS MEN IN ONE MONTH

*Defendant was apprehended after mass multi-agency manhunt

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) Office has filed charges against a former Marine for murdering four homeless men in a serial thrill-kill spree. Itzcoatl Ocampo, 23, Yorba Linda, is charged with four felony counts of murderwith special circumstances for multiple murders and lying in wait and sentencing enhancements for personal use of a deadlyweapon, a knife, during commission of a crime. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of life in state prison without thepossibility of parole. The special circumstances in this case make Ocampo eligible for the death penalty, and the DistrictAttorney will make this determination at a later date as is customary. Ocampo is being held without bail and is expected to bearraigned tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Press conference regarding alleged homeless killer, Itzcoatl Ocampo, on 1/17

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, homeless, Lawyers, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: January 16, 2012
Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY TONY RACKAUCKAS: MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas, and representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Anaheim Police Department, Placentia Police Department, and Brea/Yorba Linda Police Department.

Continue reading→

Have Orange County’s politicians forgotten the homeless?

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Churches and Religion, Civic Affairs, homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana 3 Comments

It has been getting quite cold at night.  Of course most of us are sheltered from the cold.  We live in heated homes with warm beds and snug pajamas.  But as comfortable as most of us in Orange County are, there are many who suffer in the elements.  They are the homeless and those of us who live in Santa Ana know more than those in, say Irvine, what a problem this is – as so many of the homeless gather in our Civic Plaza every day.

Dwight Smith, a longtime advocate for the homeless, who is part of the Catholic Worker organization, recently contacted the members of Santa Ana Occupy, to bring them up to speed on the dire straits faced by the homeless.  Unfortunately, asking an angry mob to actually work constructively with our elected and appointed officials is not exactly an idea that will bear fruit, but Smith is right – something must be done.

Here is Smith’s letter to Santa Ana Occupy: Continue reading→

County of Orange to open Armory Emergency Shelters on Dec. 1

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Fullerton, homeless, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The County of Orange has announced the opening of the Armory Emergency Shelter Program, which provides up to 400 beds for homeless families and individuals, on Dec. 1, 2011.

The homeless are also provided with a warm shower, a nutritious meal, a safe and warm place to sleep, warm clothes, a wide variety of services and a friendly and safe atmosphere.

The shelters will be located at the National Guard Armories in Fullerton and Santa Ana.  The Santa Ana location will not however open until Dec. 3.   But transportation will be provided from Santa Ana to Fullerton, starting on Dec. 1. Continue reading→

Southwest Community Center to host a Thanksgiving meal for the needy

Posted on by Posted in African Americans, Charities, Churches and Religion, Entertainment, Food, homeless, Santa Ana, Women, Working Families Leave a comment

Santa Ana’s Southwest Community Center is hosting a free  Thanksgiving Day Dinner Dinner for the needy on Nov. 24.  It will be served from 11:00 am – 3:00pm.  Volunteer Hours run from 8:00am—5:00pm.  Set-Up runs from 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  The Dinner Service will run from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. And clean up will run from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The mission of the Southwest Community Center is to provide food, clothing, shelter, guidance, health, and referral services to economically disadvantaged individuals and families, and assist and encourage those whom they serve to achieve self-sufficiency. Continue reading→

O.C. Human Relations to launch a homelessness and mental health task force

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Entertainment, Fullerton, Health and Medical, homeless, Housing, Mental Health, Orange County, Santa Ana 1 Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 19, 2011
Contact: Rusty Kennedy, Phone: (714) 567-7465

City of Fullerton Striving to Improve System of Care Launches the Fullerton Task Force on Homelessness and Mental Health Services, on Thursday, October 20, 4:00 pm @ the Fullerton Public Library

In the aftermath of the Kelly Thomas tragedy, the City of Fullerton is working to learn from this incident and make a change in the community. The City Council asked OC Human Relations to facilitate a task force of Fullerton residents and homeless/mental health experts to better understand the current situation of the mentally ill homeless and identify how the community might do better in the future. Continue reading→