Unsheltered, Part 2: Once reluctant, these Orange County cities are opening homeless shelters

Editor’s note: This is the second story in a series examining homelessness in Orange County, including the cities of Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach and Newport Beach. Huntington Beach City Councilwoman Kim Carr said Surf City’s task force — consisting of two full-time police officers, one program coordinator and four case managers — has “helped over 262 individuals get off the streets and reunited over 70 individuals with their families.” “Huntington Beach is committed to being a part of the solution and protecting our residents’ quality of life,” Carr said. “The days of just kind of moving our problem from one city to the other need to be over.” Becks Heyhoe, director of United to End Homelessness for Orange County United Way, believes the lawsuit over the river encampment sparked a seismic shift in addressing homelessness — in part by putting a dent the county’s reputation for being a wealthy enclave. The days of just kind of moving our problem from one city to the other need to be over.” — John Stephens, Costa Mesa mayor pro tem Nearly $3 million also is being directed to the Orange County United Way’s United to End Homelessness Welcome Home OC program.