Anaheim Shelter Plan update: Park encampments cleared
More than 150 people have moved to an interim emergency homeless shelter from Maxwell, La Palma and Schweitzer parks, a west Anaheim street corner, an underpass at Gene Autry Way and Santa Cruz Street and elsewhere, and the parks and other spaces have been cleared, cleaned and restored.
The clearing of the encampments was the result of extensive outreach by the city and our nonprofit partners, who have been working for days with those living in the parks and on the streets to offer them services and a bed at Anaheim’s newly opened interim emergency homeless shelter.
For the past two weeks, our team of social workers from the city’s nonprofit partners, along with Anaheim Police, Anaheim Public Works, Code Enforcement, Community Services, Anaheim Fire & Rescue and others, have been out helping people transition out of homelessness while also addressing unsustainable encampments in our parks and public spaces.
Since the 200-bed interim emergency homeless shelter opened on Dec. 20 -- after an astounding 14-day buildout -- we have been able to clear encampments at Maxwell Park, La Palma Park, Schweitzer Park, Gene Autry Way, Katella Avenue and at the corner of La Palma Avenue and Magnolia Street.
As of Thursday, the shelter is now home to about 160 people who previously were living outdoors amid colder weather and other risks.
The shelter, at 2040 S. State College Blvd., is a safe, warm and inviting alternative for those living on the streets, in parks and other public spaces in Anaheim.
Operated by Orange-based nonprofit partner Illumination Foundation, the shelter is a first step out of homelessness with case management, counseling, job assistance and other ongoing services.
Features include:
-Family living space with room for up to four families before they move to other accommodations
-Men’s living space
-Women’s living space
-All single beds with individual nightstands
-Transportation service
-Personal storage space
-Dining area, kitchen
-Pets, outdoor dog run
-Covered outdoor space
-Lounge area with TV
-Wireless internet
-Inspirational murals
The interim emergency shelter is the result of a public-private partnership with the business community to benefit the homeless and Anaheim’s neighborhoods.
Major Anaheim businesses have committed $350,000 in funding for the shelter plus donations of furniture, building materials and services.
The donations from the business community will help offset the use of city resources for the shelter construction and operation.
The city of Anaheim has provided up to $1.4 million for buildout of the shelter and its operation by Illumination Foundation.
The interim emergency shelter is expected to operate for about 90 days, closing once two temporary shelters in the works open in late January and February.
Anaheim is building a total of 325 temporary shelter beds for those living in homelessness in Anaheim at two temporary shelter sites at 3035 E. La Mesa St. and 1455 S. Salvation Place.
Some furnishings and other resources from the State College site will transfer over to the La Mesa site.
Down the road, the city also has plans to partner with The Salvation Army Orange County for a 400-600 bed homeless care center that will be part of the city’s long-term solution to addressing homelessness.
All of Anaheim’s shelter sites will include extensive operational and security oversight to ensure they are good neighbors.
Anaheim Police will oversee security planning and conduct regular patrols of the sites, supplemented by onsite security and rules barring loitering, walk-ups and drop-offs.
You can learn more about the shelters at
Anaheim.net/shelterplan.
To learn more about all we are doing to address homelessness, visit
Anaheim.net/homeless.
[City of Anaheim Press Release]
