The LA Times, in their continuous coverage of the homeless population in the LA area released an article yesterday, Saturday March 17th, giving an update on the Orange County homeless story. After a population of homeless people living in Orange County were mass evicted from camps along the Santa Ana River Valley all homeless persons were given motel vouchers. Now, with the vouchers soon expiring, Orange County officials agreed, after a federal court hearing, to extend motel stays “on a case-by-case basis.” Andrew Do, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors, called the action a “big concession,” but warned that the county decision is “not a blanket extension.” The move can be attributed to an uncommon pushback from homeless advocates and a sympathetic federal judge, pushing one of America’s most affluent counties to face the issue of homelessness. Simply put, County policy for housing the homeless is full of problems: couples are split up, conditions often undermine the human dignity of homeless persons, and there are simply too few resources to provide for all of those who have been subject to the County’s mass eviction.
While this is no doubt a positive outcome for the homeless in Orange County, the voucher extension does not address the root problem of homelessness – housing insecurity. The County is merely extending another short-term solution, hoping, I would think, that soon this issue will go away. Most likely, it will. Out of sight out of mind is a reliable go to for local government’s confronted by homelessness. Though perhaps legal advocacy and humane federal rulings will hold the county accountable to the actions they have made. I don’t understand the logic behind County actions, however. Do they expect simply for homeless people to leave and go elsewhere? What happens if they don’t?