FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 1999
Contact: Diane Thomas
714.834.6203
Community Leaders
To Discuss Homeless and Housing Issue
(Santa Ana) –
More than 100 representatives of non-profit organizations,
state agencies, Orange County cities and County agencies
will meet tomorrow to discuss ways to address the needs
of the county’s homeless and low-income residents.
Representatives are also expected from the offices of
Senator Barbara Boxer, Congressman Ed Royce and Assemblyman
Scott Baugh.
According to a survey by the County’s department
of Housing and Community Development, there are more than
14,000 homeless people on any given night in Orange County.
Tomorrow’s Continuum of Care Community Forum will
be from noon to 4 p.m. at the LA Times meeting room at
1375 Sunflower Ave. in Costa Mesa. Co-sponsors of
the meeting are the County Executive Office, Orange County
Homeless Issues Task Force and the Shelter & Hunger
Partnership of Orange County.
“This forum is a spin-off of the former Continuum
of Care steering committee meetings that I’ve coordinated
for the County for the past two years,” said Karen
Roper, County Homeless Coordinator. “What we’re
doing tomorrow has a greater significance because of the
wider view we’ll take on homeless issues. Whereas
we previously focused on securing federal Homeless Assistance
grant funding, we’ll now look at how to marshal all
of our resources to develop an ongoing, regional, coordinated
effort for our system of care. We’ll focus
on housing, health care, social services, legislation
and the entire scope of issues surrounding the homeless
and low-income populations in Orange County. Each
Community Forum will feature topics which relate to these
issues.”
The new collaborative expects to meet quarterly.
For further information, call Karen Roper at 834-3355.
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Legal