In The News 2016

OC's Historic Homeless Crisis

This is a chronological history of homelessness in Orange County.

Our collection of headlines from newspaper articles, television news broadcasts, news blogs, etc. begins with the most current and dates back to as far as 2011.

The History is in the Headlines!

Visit past events by entering the timeline at any of the points below

2020

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2017

2016

2015

2011

2012

2013

2014

2016

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January 2016

Highlights -- County draws criticism for shelter delays -- Supervisor Do pushing fast-track for bus terminal purchase -- Attention to high number of homeless deaths --

1/7/2016 Santana: OC Civic Center Homeless Need Shelter Now | Voice of OC

1/14/2016 Do Pushes to Fast-Track Bus Terminal Purchase for Temporary Homeless Shelter | Voice of OC

1/18/2016 Santana: County Officials Moving Slowly to Help Civic Center Homeless | Voice of OC

1/19/2016 Deaths among homeless in Orange County jump 53 percent in 2 years | 89.3 KPCC

1/21/2016 Homeless deaths in Orange County jumped in 2015 – and 2016 may be worse | OC Register

1/26/2016 County Continues to Draw Criticism for Homeless Shelter Delays | Voice of OC

1/28/2016 County Gets OK From Feds to Use Bus Depot as Emergency Homeless Shelter | Voice of OC

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for January 2016

February 2016

Highlights -- Homeless shelter at bus terminal opens on rainy nights -- Fullerton looks back on Kelly Thomas incident -- More concerns regarding homeless deaths --

2/1/2016 Santa Ana Bus Terminal Attracts Few Homeless People | Voice of OC

2/2/2016 Years After Thomas Beating, Fullerton Police Have New Approach to Homeless | Voice of OC

2/4/2016 Man found dead at homeless encampment near San Clemente | OC Register

2/4/2016 Big Spike in OC Homeless Deaths Alarms Advocates | Voice of OC

2/10/2016 Housing plan stirs debate about homeless shelters | OC Register

2/17/2016 OC’s Main Provider of Homeless Services Draws Fire From Advocates | Voice of OC

2/17/2016 San Clemente has no proposal for homeless shelter near park, city says | OC Register

2/22/2016 Could Year-Round Homeless Shelter Mean Fewer Beds For Homeless People | Voice of OC

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for February 2016

March 2016

Highlights -- More discussion on rising number of homeless deaths -- Homeless population at Civic Center skyrockets --

3/3/2016 Cal Housing Consortium: Affordable Housing is a Matter of Life & Death | Voice of OC

3/8/2016 Amid Drastic Moves Elsewhere, Homeless Advocates See Hope in OC | Voice of OC

3/9/2016 Homeless population skyrockets at Civic Center in Santa Ana | OC Register

3/10/2016 Feds Award County $17 Million in Homeless Support Money | Voice of OC

3/25/2016 OC officials hold meeting on growing mental health problem | ABC 7

3/25/2016 Federal bill would throw $13 billion at ending homelessness | 89.3 KPCC

3/28/2016 Santana: Supervisors Making Progress on Homelessness | Voice of OC

3/30/2016 Homeless Death's Spiking in SoCal's Largest Counties | Voice of OC

3/30/2016 Homeless deaths in Orange County jumped in 2015 – and 2016 may be worse | OC Register

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for March 2016

April 2016

Highlights -- Battle rages between County and Santa Ana over homelessness --

4/11/2016 Santa Ana Councilman Lashes Out Against County Supervisor | Voice of OC

4/11/2016 The County is installing new bathrooms for the homeless at the Civic Center | New Santa Ana

4/18/2016 Recuperative care offers a safe, clean place to recover for sick homeless | 89.3 KPCC

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for April 2016

May 2016

Highlights -- County hires Susan price as new homeless czar -- BOS gives final approval on purchase of bus terminal --

5/9/2016 This Week: Both the Haves and Have Nots on County Agenda | Voice of OC

5/10/2016 Feds Award County $17 Million in Homeless Support Money | Voice of OC

5/11/2016 Supervisors Inch Closer to Making Year-Round Homeless Shelter A Reality | Voice of OC

5/16/2016 Santana: Orange County Has a New Homeless Czar | Voice of OC

5/16/2016 OC hires Long Beach's homeless services coordinator as 'homeless czar' | 89.3 KPCC

5/17/2016 Orange County hiring ‘homeless czar’ in its focus to help those in need | OC Register

5/22/2016 Tackling homelessness in O.C. | OC Register

5/23/2016 Will Orange County use the old bus terminal for the homeless? | 89.3 KPCC

5/23/2016 Santana: Homeless Camp Now Keeping People From Jury Duty | Voice of OC

5/25/2016 Supervisors Give Final Approval to Bus Terminal Purchase | Voice of OC

5/31/2016 Santana: OC Homelessness Czar Gets to Work; So Should County Supervisors | Voice of OC

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for May 2016

June 2016

Highlights -- Meet Susan Price --

6/1/2016 Elected Officials Criticize Federal Cuts to Local Homeless Programs | Voice of OC

6/9/2016 Fullerton Park Becomes Latest Flashpoint in Homeless Issue | Voice of OC

6/13/2016 Orange County homeless want to use food stamps at restaurants | 89.3 KPCC

6/15/2016 Homeless in OC: Long-term housing solutions for a growing population | 89.3 KPCC

6/15/2016 Gov. Brown won't declare homelessness crisis an emergency | 89.3 KPCC

6/20/2016 Will she be the champion in Orange County’s homelessness battle? | OC Register

6/24/2016 OC has a new 'homeless czar' tasked with services and getting people sheltered | LA Times

6/27/2016 Report: Hundreds of thousands in Orange County are struggling financially | OC Register

6/29/2016 Once homeless, these people now have a home, thanks to OC's new approach | OC Register

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for June 2016

July 2016

Highlights -- Homeless man dies after encounter with Anaheim police --

7/4/2016 Homeless Man Left in Coma After Encounter with Anaheim Police | OC Weekly

7/5/2016 Garrow/Day: The County of Orange Adds Pressure to The Homeless | Voice of OC

7/5/2016 Overturned city ordinance leaves homeless shelters in limbo | OC Register

7/5/2016 County Supervisors Have Made OC’s Civic Center The Epicenter of Homelessness | Voice of OC

7/8/2016 County in need of homeless plan | OC Register

7/10/2016 Homeless Man Left in Coma After Encounter with Anaheim Police Dies | OC Weekly

7/12/2016 Lawyer: Vincent Valenzuela Tasered in Chest by Anaheim PD, Stopping His Heart | OC Weekly

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for July 2016

August 2016

Highlights -- Homeless man shot by police at Santa Ana Civic Center -- The people of "Skid River" --

8/1/2016 Police shoot and wound man during struggle outside Santa Ana Civic Center | LA Times

8/2/2016 Man in critical condition after being shot in struggle with Santa Ana police | OC Register

8/3/2016 Homeless man shot by Santa Ana police remains in critical condition | OC Register

8/3/2016 San Clemente homeless shelter law out; new one in works | OC Register

8/3/2016 Witness Says Homeless Man Shot by Cops Did Not Appear to be Armed | OC Weekly

8/3/2016 Santa Ana Launches Program to Get Civic Center Homeless Into Housing | Voice of OC

8/11/2016 The County is installing new bathrooms for the homeless at the Civic Center | New Santa Ana

8/30/2016 Helpers try to reach homeless in OC's "Skid River" | OC Register

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for August 2016

September 2016

Highlights -- Homeless man shot by police at civic center dies -- County: Kraemer Place shelter to open in late 2017 -- Santa Ana declares crisis at civic center -- BOS approves homeless shelter at bus terminal and will open in 30 days -- John and Ken show do live broadcast from civic center -- Fire closes Mary's Kitchen -- Homeless shelter at bus terminal has a name. Courtyard Transitional Center will open Oct. 6 --

9/1/2016 Homeless man shot by Santa Ana police dies from injuries | OC Register

9/2/2016 Santa Ana may declare public health crisis over homeless encampment | OC Register

9/2/2016 People of the Riverbed | Voice of OC

9/3/2016 County’s first year-round homeless shelter to open late 2017 in Anaheim | OC Register

9/6/2016 OC Homeless Shelter Approved: Will it Affect Fountain Valley? -|Fountain Valley, CA Patch

9/6/2016 Santa Ana City Council declares "crisis" over homeless encampment at civic center | LA Times

9/6/2016 Orange County, California | News Details

9/6/2018 Richard Gene Swihart, Homeless Man Shot By Police is Dead | OC Weekly

9/7/2016 MOORLACH UPDATE — Civic Center Homeless | John Moorlach's Postings

9/7/2016 Santa Ana Council Responds to Criticism, Declares Civic Center Homeless Crisis | Voice of OC

9/7/2016 OC Supervisors to convert Santa Ana bus terminal into homeless shelter | KTTV

9/7/2016 Temp homeless shelter approved in Santa Ana while county, city point fingers | OC Register

9/11/2016 Garrow and Rojas: Biking While Homeless Ends in Fatal Police Shooting | Voice of OC

9/13/2016 The O.C. Supervisors approve $8M for housing for the homeless | New Santa Ana

9/14/2016 The John and Ken Show Takes Advantage of Homeless for Live Radio Broadcast | OC Weekly

9/14/2016 Mary’s Kitchen in Orange burned, not beaten – meals still being served | OC Register

9/15/2016 Mercy House to operate year-round Anaheim homeless shelter | OCRegister

9/15/2016 County Approves Homeless Shelter, Armory Shelter Operator | Voice of OC

9/23/2016 Planning Commission selects business park, industrial area as homeless ... | OC Register

9/26/2016 Santana: Welcome to Orange County’s ‘Courtyard Transitional Center’ | Voice of OC

9/28/2016 County Approves Homeless Services Center in Former Bus Depot | Voice of OC

9/28/2016 Santa Ana homeless shelter with beds, showers, meals, services may open Oct. 6 | OC Register

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for September 2016

October 2016

Highlights -- ACLU releases new report on homelessness in OC -- The Courtyard Transitional Center opens in former OCTA bus terminal in Santa Ana -- New homeless czar, Susan Price, releases her report assessing the homeless crisis in OC within her first 100 days on the job --

10/3/2016 New Homeless Service Center Draws Both Kudos and Concerns From Advocates | Voice of OC

10/4/2016 OC's Plan to End Homelessness Is Failing, ACLU SoCal Report Finds | Voice of OC

10/5/2016 Garrow: What Will it Take for Orange County to End Homelessness? | Voice of OC

10/5/2016 ACLU report: Orange County has the money to end homelessness | OC Register

10/5/2016 No voucher, no vacancy, no help: The cruel realities of Section 8 housing in OC | OC Register

10/6/2016 Santa Ana’s homeless now have a new place to take shelter | OC Register

10/6/2016 Transitional Center for Civic Center Homeless Opens | Voice of OC

10/10/2016 'I have a corner of my own': bus terminal-turned-shelter offers the homeless relief | LA Times

10/10/2016 Santa Ana Bus Terminal Converted to Transitional Shelter for the Homeless | KTLA

10/11/2016 OC Taps $1.2 Million in State Emergency Aid for Shelters, Rapid Re-Housing | Voice of OC

10/11/2016 Supervisor Spends a Night at Bus Terminal Homeless Shelter | Voice of OC

10/12/2016 The temporary homeless shelter at the Santa Ana Civic Center is now open | New Santa Ana

10/12/2016 Homeless Advocates to Supervisors: We Need $55 Million and Your Leadership | Voice of OC

10/14/2016 One Man’s Experiences at the Courtyard Transitional Center | Voice of OC

10/16/2016 Orange County Homeless Townhall With OC Supervisor Andrew Do | OC Weekly

10/16/2016 All talk no action on homelessness? County officials say much is being done | OC Register

10/17/2016 Holzmann: Giving Orange County's Homeless the Bum's Rush | Voice of OC

10/17/2016 Andrew Do's Homeless Town Hall Was About Congratulating Himself and | OC Weekly

10/18/2016 Supervisors Consider Additional Ways to Address Homelessness | Voice of OC

10/19/2016 County Officials Tout Efforts for Homeless, But Funding Still a Question | Voice of OC

10/19/2016 Homeless czar: Here are 4 ways Orange County can help right now | OC Register

10/19/2016 Should homeless be able to use food stamp benefits to buy hot food? | OC Register

10/20/2016 Santa Ana to help pay "housing navigator" to find residences for homeless | OC Register

10/21/2016 Santa Ana Will Pay $1.7 Million to Family of Homeless Man Killed by Police | Voice of OC

10/26/2016 Homeless getting access to mental health treatment at Courtyard shelter | OC Register

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for October 2016

November 2016

Highlights -- Courtyard complaints -- Do wins election -- Woman held in stabbing death of homeless woman in Anaheim -- heavy rains floods riverbed --

11/9/2016 County Supervisor Andrew Do Wins Re-Election | Voice of OC

11/15/2016 Unsanitary Conditions, Security Issues, OC's New Homeless Shelter Needs Work | OC Weekly

11/16/2016 Santana: The Real Winners From Election 2016 | Voice of OC

11/16/2016 County’s ‘Courtyard’ Homeless Shelter Gets Mixed Reviews | Voice of OC

11/19/2016 Jessica Ventura Held in Homeless Woman's Fatal Stabbing in Anaheim | OC Weekly

11/21/2016 From Joy to Disappointment at Santa Ana Homeless Shelter | Voice of OC

11/23/2016 After rain, life gets tougher for the homeless living along the Santa Ana River | OCRegister

11/29/2016 County's "Courtyard" Homeless Shelter Gets Mixed Reviews | Voice of OC

See The Weather Almanac For Daily Records of Temperatures, Rainfall and Other Conditions for November 2016

December 2016

Highlights -- Restaurant Meals Program approved -- homeless persons' memorial day service -- 192 homeless lives lost in 2016 -- County cites delays on Kraemer shelter due to open before summer --

12/6/2016 Options running out for homeless living along Santa Ana river bed | OC Register

12/14/2016 After Delays, Anaheim Homeless Center Now Slated to Open Before Summer | Voice of OC

12/14/2016 Anaheim homeless shelter could open by April | OC Register

12/18/2016 Supervisors Approve Restaurant Meals Program | Voice of OC

12/20/2016 Incidents Raise Concerns About Security Staff at Homeless Shelter | Voice of OC

12/20/2016 Fullerton and Santa Ana Armories now open | Orange County Breeze

12/21/2016 Memorial service to be held for O.C. homeless who died in 2016 | OC Register

12/22/2016 Homeless Shelter in Santa Ana Needs More People Like Michelle | The Liberal OC

12/22/2016 Remembering the 192 homeless who died in Orange County in 2016 | OCRegister

12/24/2016 Most Influential 2016: Julia Cross is a nurse who helps the homeless | OC Register

12/25/2016 Most Influential 2016: Susan Price is tasked to help the homeless, you can too | OC Register

12/26/2016 Issue of the Year: OC’s Fight Against Homelessness | Voice of OC