Fullerton may soon partner with Orange County to open a temporary cold weather shelter for the homeless after the county’s efforts to open such a facility in Santa Ana have reached a standstill.
The Fullerton City Council unanimously voted during its Jan. 17 meeting to begin negotiations with county officials to open such at its Independence Park’s gymnasium starting Feb. 1 until the end of March or April, depending on the need.
“I think we were duty bound as a society to protect those that are along the margins and taking people out of the rain is the least that we can do,” Mayor Fred Jung said during the meeting.
If approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors, the shelter would open from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Both the county and Fullerton typically open such shelters in the fall. Previously, the county’s site has been in downtown Santa Ana, and Fullerton’s at the Fullerton Armory.
However, this year, neither could find operators.
After efforts in Santa Ana reached a standstill, the county asked Fullerton to use Independence Park’s gymnasium. It was used also as a shelter at the beginning of the pandemic.
If approved by the supervisors, the city said it expects the county to fund the cost of the proposed shelter’s operator, People Assisting the Homeless, and for security and any damage to the location.
Fullerton may also receive $7,500 in monthly rent from the county for the location, according to city officials.
Last October, after not receiving any responses for a bid to operate such a shelter in the county, officials began negotiations with the Salvation Army to run a shelter in downtown Santa Ana.
But the nonprofit backed out after facing opposition from Santa Ana city officials, who argued that surrounding cities do not do their part to address homelessness in the county.
David O. Carter, a federal court judge, issued a temporary ruling Oct. 14 to stop the county from opening the shelter in downtown Santa Ana, but ruled a week later that it could do so at an alternate Santa Ana location at the National Guard Armory at 612 E. Warner Ave., which has stalled.
The Board of Supervisors will likely review and vote on its contract with Fullerton at its upcoming Jan. 24 meeting.
