HomeMy WebLinkAboutCORRESPONDENCE - CLOSED SESSION - 19/18/2018
REGARDING HOMELESS ISSUE LAWSUIT
CLOSED
SESSION -1
Date of Name Representative of In favor In Opposition Comment
Correspondence of RA'. of RA:*
1 9/18/2018 Tim Johnson Yes
TOTAL: 1
*RA - Recommended Action
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 Page 1 of 1
Orono, Norma
From:
Tim Johnson <
Sent:
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 1:31 PM
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eComment
Cc:
Martinez, Michele; Solorio, Jose; Tinajero, Sal; Benavides, David; Villegas, Juan; Pulido,
Miguel; Sarmiento, Vicente
Subject:
Agenda Items- Closed Session Item #1
Council ... I know you have been diligently discussing the homeless lawsuit and due to Santa Ana stepping up, our cities
involvement may be lessening. However, as anyone who has attended Judge Carter's hearings understands, there are
many other cities who are not stepping up. Earlier this year, Council voted to sue the other cities. It is my
understanding that a decision was made to not serve the other cities. It is possible that only Tustin was actually
served. I would urge you to utilize the legal process to bring the other cities into the case. They need to be held
accountable. Santa Ana has been bearing the brunt of the homeless issues and other cities need to either step up with
beds or money. This is especially true for South County cities.
I would also urge you to consider bringing other Central SPA cities into the funding requirements for a replacement of
The Courtyard. All the Central SPA cities should be sharing in the cost of a Central SPA shelter- it should not be solely
funded by The County and Santa Ana. Similar to how the Northern SPA cities seemingly are working together, so must
the Central SPA cities. I urge you to move forward ASAP in getting the other Central cities to participate in the
solution... if they are not going to step forward with locations, then they should be funding the shelter.
Additionally, please put pressure on the County Board of Supervisors, and also Judge Carter, to utilize one of their own
pieces of property to help with this matter ... the 100 -acres in Irvine that is county owned and zoned for a homeless
housing development. Mayor Wagner himself indicated while speaking before the Board that the property consisted of
about half of it as clean and the other half potentially contaminated. 50 acres is a huge site and any homeless housing
there would only likely be 5 to 10 acres or even less. If the County Board of Supervisors is not willing to utilize their own
land, how do they expect others to step forward. The Courtyard is way closer to schools, libraries, housing, senior
centers, parks, and work spaces than the 100 -acres in Irvine is. This is a political will game ... the Board needs to show
leadership and step forward with their own land. If Irvine were to sue and stop it, they would be putting their
development projects at risk due to the SB2 zoning around that property. Unfortunately, the City of Irvine decided to
build houses somewhat close to a homeless housing zoned piece of property... that should not exempt them from
participating in the solution.
Again, please press forward with the previously approved lawsuit against the other Orange County cities so that they can
be drawn into the federal case. Obviously, this is a complicated legal matter and as such, I would imagine you should
already be considering this move or a similar move, but at the end of the day, we must get the other cities to move. I
also urge you to get other Central SPA cities to participate in The Courtyard replacement... either with beds or with
funding.
Thanks,
Tim Johnson
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