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As Los Angeles County reels from the death and destruction wrought by rampaging fire storms, here in Orange County we are witnessing a slower moving but equally devastating catastrophe– the displacement and death of too many of our unhoused residents. These community members have not lost their homes and lives due to natural disasters, but in Orange County, year after year, the OC Board of Supervisors decide to invest in law enforcement as a response to housing displacement rather than investing in safe, permanent affordable housing.
Too often, losing one’s home amounts to a death sentence–the research shows that the dangers and deprivation of being unhoused kills, and that housing saves lives.
As documented by an OC Sheriff Coroner (OCSC) report, since 2009 there has been a steady increase in deaths of people who are identified as being “without-abode.” Every month the OCSC provides those names, which includes infants and children. In 2015, the deaths more than doubled from 2010, and in 2021, the number of deaths more than doubled from 2015. In 2023, 511 human beings without abode were reported to have lost their lives. Last year’s death toll was nearly 500 individuals.
*OC Sheriff Dept. Report of 2022 Orange County Homeless Deaths
While devastating, these numbers don’t fully capture the loss of life caused by the Supervisors’ inaction, as the reported deaths exclude unhoused people who died while in a hospital, temporary shelter, OC jail, and those whose remains were claimed by family. The omission of these names makes every year’s total larger than reported. ALL unhoused community members who died deserve to be recognized and memorialized.
Orange County, one of the wealthiest and most economically productive counties in the state has the resources to choose life over death. Currently, the OC Board of Supervisors oversees a county budget of $9.5 billion. Within the $9.5 billion budget, they manage a discretionary budget of approximately $1 billion, which they control and for which they set the priorities. Yet, in 2023 the OC Supervisors allocated only .34 cents per OC resident on affordable housing while spending over 100 dollars per resident for OC law enforcement.
The county continues to watch and do little to nothing except criminalize unhoused community members or warehouse them in unsafe and unsanitary mass shelters.
Indeed, our county leaders do not seem to understand their role in solving this preventable crisis–even though recent reports dispel the false rhetoric that the Sheriff and Supervisors have often used to label unhoused people as unworthy of housing, help, and services by often claiming they are service resistant. The Supervisors have also mishandled public funds, sometimes unlawfully. Former Supervisor Andrew Do recently pleaded guilty to bribery conspiracy involving $10 million in COVID relief funds. Do also admitted to receiving more than $550,000 in bribery payments from money that was allocated to meals for older adults. In 2018, in Federal court, Do speaking as the then Chair of the Supervisors told Federal Judge David O. Carter “We (Board of Supervisors) don’t have a defense. I’m going to be the first to own up that we have failed,” followed by Do stating “To lead requires we are proactive and not reactive, and we have failed.” Sadly, Judge Carter believed things would get better but the reports don’t lie – in fact, the failure has continued causing a dramatic, and unnecessary, increase in deaths for human beings without abode in Orange County.
It is no wonder that the Orange County Supervisors have failed in the past and today, they continue to fail to implement or support the evidence-based Housing First program, even though it is adopted by the State of California and recognized worldwide as the best and most cost effective means of dissolving houselessness and saving lives.
In fact, research shows that ignoring houselessness costs more in taxpayer dollars than permanently housing and providing services to our unhoused neighbors. In many cases, taxpayer funds spent on addressing the symptoms of the crisis–like healthcare costs associated with houselessness–are double what the county would be spending if it simply provided affordable housing to those who have been displaced by skyrocketing housing costs.
Investing in Housing First is not just the fiscally responsible path forward, however. If we believe that every life is precious and that death should be prevented when possible, saving lives is also a moral imperative.
Since 2017, dozens of Housing is a Human Right OC (HHROC) volunteers have given public comments at Board of Supervisor meetings to educate and bring awareness to the serious concerns regarding the mounting deaths of unhoused OC residents. To honor and memorialize those who have died in the previous year, each January HHROC reads their names at a Board of Supervisors meeting. We remind the Supervisors that they are elected by the people and have the power to:
- Establish policy
- Approve the annual budget
- Appoints an Agricultural Commissioner, Chief Engineer, Chief Probation Officer (appointment made in partnership with the presiding judge of juvenile court,) Clerk of the Board, County Counsel, County Executive Officer, County Health Officer, County Librarian, County Surveyor, County Veterinarian, Director of Child Support Services, Director of John Wayne Airport, Director of the Social Services Agency, Internal Auditor, Performance Auditor, Public Defender, Public Guardian, and the Veteran Services Officer.
- Approve contracts for projects and services
- Conduct public hearings on land-use and other matters
- Make appointments to boards, committees and commissions
Unlike the fire storms that have swept through Los Angeles, the solution to Orange County’s houselessness crisis is extremely straightforward: investment in affordable housing. Yet, according to the recent Point-in-Time (PIT) count, over 7000 people remain unhoused in our wealthy but unequal county.
On January 28th, Housing is a Human Right OC will be at the OC Board of Supervisors meeting to read the names of unhouse people who passed away in 2024 and again, to urge the supervisors to prioritize and invest in Housing First. Housing is a Human Right OC feels strongly that, as civil rights activist John Lewis proclaimed, “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?”
You can find information on how to join our movement and make your voice heard at: https://bit.ly/40tB5dw
On behalf of Housing is a Human Right OC,
David Duran, CoFounder & Volunteer, Housing is a Human Right OC
Opinions expressed in community opinion pieces belong to the authors and not Voice of OC.
Voice of OC is interested in hearing different perspectives and voices. If you want to weigh in on this issue or others please email opinions@voiceofoc.org.
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