The homeless population comprises persons lacking consistent and adequate shelter. The City has identified the Public and Institutional (PI) Zone as an appropriate district for an emergency shelter. This Zone encompasses approximately 170 acres and includes potential emergency shelter locations at churches, hospitals and publicly-owned properties such as the Public Works Yard and the City Hall/Library campus. Many of the church properties in this Zone are not developed to their full potential and have the capacity for emergency shelter facilities.
Potential transitional and supportive housing locations would be at the Nova La Palma Apartments and the Walker Garden Apartments. Regulatory concessions may be necessary to accommodate emergency housing in these locations. Current building and zoning codes would prohibit emergency housing and transitional/supportive housing in the identified locations. As such, it will be necessary to revise the applicable development code sections in order to designate at least one zone where a permanent emergency shelter may be established by-right subject to objective development standards, and define transitional and supportive housing as a residential use that is permitted in all residential zones under the same standards that apply to other residential uses.
For more information please visit the Orange County Homeless Prevention webpage.