Attorneys representing transients moved off the Santa Ana riverbed in Anaheim asked a federal judge Thursday to extend the motel stays of their homeless clients, arguing that some, including a pregnant woman, are being shuffled off to inappropriate shelters.
The transients who were given 30-day motel and food vouchers were told Thursday they must be moved to other shelters as soon as Friday or early next week, attorneys for the homeless contended in legal filings.
U.S. District Judge David O. Carter scheduled a Saturday morning court hearing in the case in the Santa Ana City Council chamber. Initially, a hearing on the long-term plans for the riverbed transients was scheduled for April 3. But Carter moved it up to Saturday when attorneys for the homeless expressed concerns about “potentially rushed displacement or transition of more than 700 individuals who are currently placed in motel rooms,” according to Carter’s ruling.
County officials said they have enough beds in shelters and various other facilities for the transients staying at motels. County supervisors this week allocated an additional $2 million for the riverbed transients.
But Carter wants a hearing to ensure the county has resources to find beds for the transients when they leave the motels. Carter wants mayors and city managers from every Orange County city to attend the Saturday hearing.
Attorneys for the homeless argued in Thursday’s court filing that several transients were falsely told they had been denied further services or were being sent to shelters they deemed inappropriate.
One of those transients, Andrea Phipps, is pregnant and depends on help from her “partner,” according to the filing. She was told she would be moved Monday morning to a mental health facility.
“She does not need treatment for mental illness,” according to the filing. “Moreover, she has not been told where the placement is and whether her partner, the father of her child, will be placed with her. Ms. Phipps’ pregnancy involved medical complications and she depends upon her partner to help her.”
The plaintiffs also allege that one transient could not get through to social workers the county hired from City Net, and when she finally went to a City Net meeting she was told she was not one of their clients as the county had informed her, according to the court document.
Orange County Board Chairman Andrew Do disputed claims the county may not have enough shelter for transients when they segue out of the motels.
Do said the number of transients in motels is likely less than 700 because some homeless people got in line twice for extra rooms. He estimated on the “high end” there may be 650 people in motels, and deducting 120 people who refused service, the county would need shelter for 530, he said.
“The county has at least that many beds in order to accommodate 530 people,” Do said.
Also, he noted, the county has allocated the $2 million to pay for more beds if necessary.
“We have no fear we’ll have an adequate number of beds for people transitioning out of motels,” Do said.
For those transients who refuse service, the county will have social workers and other officials available to help them anyway.
–City News Service