Orange County of California Extends Fullerton and Santa Ana Armory Emergency Shelters For 90 Days


Theo tin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Fullerton
Stephen Hale
(714) 738-6317 shale@cityoffullerton.com

County of Orange Shannon Widor
(714) 667-9759
shannon.widor@ ocpw.ocgov.com

City of Santa Ana
Jorge Garcia
(714) 586-6321 jgarcia10@santa-ana.org




Santa Ana, Calif. (April 13, 2018) – The County of Orange, in cooperation with the host cities of Fullerton and Santa Ana, is extending the County’s Cold Weather Armory Emergency Shelters in Santa Ana and Fullerton an additional 90 days. This action allows the County program to continue providing more than 400 beds per night, (200 at Santa Ana and 237 at Fullerton), for three additional months with the approval of the California National Guard for use of their armories. The County opened the Santa Ana shelter early in October 2017.
Both armory shelters were originally scheduled to close April 15. The armory program typically runs December through April, with coordination and support from the California Military Department. The armories provide a safe place to sleep along with a nutritious meal, a warm shower, warm clothes and a wide variety of supportive services.
The armory program is operated by Mercy House through a contract and funding by the County’s OC Community Resources department.
“Extending the operation of the two armories comes at a critical time as we need to ensure those individuals continue receiving shelter and services,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Andrew Do, First District. “The County, cities and others continue to collaboratively develop short- and long-term regional solutions to address homelessness. I thank the Cities of Santa Ana and Fullerton for showing their support in urging the extension of this important program.”
Cities are currently working to develop additional shelters to serve homeless throughout the county, and this extension of the armory program provides needed time to identify and develop plans for those locations.
“As a catalyst for this program, the City of Fullerton is eager to partner with the County and other agencies to support the next step in this process,” said Fullerton Mayor Doug Chafee. “Our City will continue the fight against homelessness and look for new ways to provide services for those in need.”
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“By keeping the Orange County Armories open, it gives renewed options on how collectively, as a County, the shared responsibility for the homeless is addressed,” said Mayor Pro Tem Michele Martinez. “We would like to thank Assemblymember Tom Daly and Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, for highlighting the importance of keeping these facilities open and articulating to the Governor the impacts of homelessness in Orange County.”
Several agencies provide on-site services aimed at breaking the cycle of homelessness and moving individuals to self-sufficiency and independent living, including the Orange County Health Care Agency, Orange County Social Services Agency, Mental Health Association of Orange County, Public Law Center, 2-1-1 Orange County, Orange County Rescue Mission and many others. Donations from other nonprofit organizations, churches and individuals add to the available resources to make this program a success.
The Board of Supervisors is expected to authorize the funding to extend the operation of the two armories at the April 24 Board meeting.
In February, the Board of Supervisors fast tracked plans to:
 Expand temporary shelter capacity at the County’s Bridges at Kraemer Place
 Negotiate and execute a contract for an additional 60 shelter beds and related services at the
SAFEPlace by WISEPlace for Women
 Identify housing for couples through Washington House – American Family Housing
 Coordinate with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and other organizations regarding the
delivery of services for veterans experiencing homelessness, and;
For additional information about the County’s shelters, visit the OC Housing & Community Development
webpage at www.occommunityservices.org/hcd/homeless/shelter_programs. ###
The contract for the three-month extension is in an amount not to exceed $800,000, which will be paid for
through the County’s General Fund.
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