The effects of chronic homelessness have been felt by every city in Orange County. In order to help address the issue, and find ways to address the underlying problems that lead to homelessness, Orange has joined with the cities of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Placentia, Villa Park, Stanton, and Yorba Linda in an unprecedented partnership called the North Service Planning Area (SPA). The North SPA Partnership is a joint collaboration that includes two full-service Navigation Centers to provide help to the region’s homeless. The Buena Park Center and the Placentia Center will provide homeless individuals a total of 250 beds, health resources, job skill training, and the ability to reconnect with lost family. These facilities join the two shelters already built by the City of Anaheim, which house another 326 beds.

In early 2018, in response to public outcry, the County of Orange evicted the homeless living along the Santa Ana River Trail. When the original plans for the evictions became public, the County and several cities were sued, alleging that local anti-camping ordinances were a violation of the constitutional rights of the homeless. At nearly the same time, the United States Court of Appeals, in an unrelated suit, ruled that anti-camping ordinances may not be enforced on Public property when there are no local shelter beds available.

The North SPA partnership was formed as part of an agreement to settle this suit and avoid further costly litigation.

While each of the North SPA Cities contribute funding toward, a majority of the funds come from non-general fund sources. In late 2018, the State of California awarded the North SPA $12 million dollars in Homeless Emergency Aid Program funding, and the County of Orange has committed both $6.5 million dollars for the construction of shelters, and $1.5 million dollars annually for operations.

In addition to our participation in the North SPA, Orange has undertaken several other initiatives over the past few years to address our local homelessness issue. We partnered with HomeAid of Orange County to develop the Orange Family Care Center, which specializes in serving the needs of families who have found themselves homeless.

The Orange Police Department’s Homeless Engagement, Assistance & Resource Team (HEART) program has been operating since 2013. HEART Officers engage daily with our local homeless individuals, working with them one-on-one to help facilitate their re-entry back into mainstream society.

Increasing the availability of affordable housing is also an important key to solving the homelessness crisis. Here in Orange, we also have a long history of encouraging the development of affordable housing projects. In Orange, we have one of the highest number of such units anywhere in the County.

The problem of homelessness in our City and County is one that has been growing for a long time. This is not a problem that will go away in a day, or be solved in a few months. One of the first steps will be learn how we can best mitigate the impacts our local homeless population has on our City’s residents and businesses. Transitioning our homeless population out of that lifestyle will be an easier adjustment when there is a mutual agreement to co-exist.

The goal of a homeless future is one we can all agree on. Together with our County and City partners, we are working to find both short-term and long-term solutions for a future where those without homes may find help and hope.

Quick Links

• Orange County Homeless Services
• Orange County Health Care Agency
• Food Pantries by Waste Not OC
• Orange County Shelter Programs
• Pocket Guide Resource Directory

Resources

North OC

The Hub Resource Center

517 W. Struck Ave, Orange 92867

Phone: 657-767-5751

Email: info@thehuboc.org

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 7AM-1PM

Breakfast: 8:30 AM

Lunch: 11:00 AM

Additional services: Laundry, Shower, Restrooms, Mail Delivery, Phone Charging

First Lutheran Church 

215 N. Lemon Street, Fullerton, CA 92832

Phone: 714-871-7820

Hot Meal To-Go: TUE 6 PM – 6:30 PM 

Food Pantry: WED 8 AM – 9 AM Provides hot meals, perishable and nonperishable groceries. Provides clothing, blankets, and personal hygiene items when available. 

HIS Picnic 

951 N. Idaho Street, La Habra, CA 90631

Phone: 562-691-3296 

Hours: SUN 1 PM – 2 PM 

Offers drive up grocery distribution and to-go hot meal. 

Pathways of Hope Food Pantry 

611 S. Ford Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92832 

Phone: 714-680-3691 ext. 220

Hours: MON – FRI 1 PM – 4 PM 

Clients can select food items from what is available. 

Saint Andrews Episcopal Church

1231 East Chapman Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92831

Due to an abundance of caution with COVID-19, the Hot Prepared Meals program has changed to "grab and go" meals. Individuals also receive an additional sack of lunch for the following day.

Provides a hot prepared meal as well as a sack lunch for the following day.

Seventh Day Adventist Church 

2355 W. Valencia Drive, Fullerton, CA 92833

Phone: 714-525-4561 

Hours: TUE 9:30 AM – 1 PM 

Food bags, clothing, small appliances, and toiletries. 

Southlands Church

2950 East Imperial Highway, Brea, CA 92821

Phone: 714-982-5055

On the last Saturdays of even months, we gather at Southlands to distribute food to needy families. 

Waste Not OC  

Map listing food pantries throughout Orange County.

Central OC

Christ Cathedral 

13280 Chapman Avenue, Garden Grove, CA 92840

Phone: 714-282-3097 

Hot Meal: 4:30 PM -6:30 PM 

First Presbyterian Church of Garden Grove Shower Plus Ministry 

11832 Euclid Street, Garden Grove, CA 92840 

Phone: 714-534-2269 

Breakfast: TUE and THUR 6 AM – 10 AM 

Hot meal and shower (last shower at 9:40 AM).

Southwest Community Center 

1601 W. Second Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703

Phone: 714-547-4073 

Hot Meals To-Go: MON - SUN 12 PM – 1 PM 

Someone Cares Soup Kitchen 

720 W. 19th Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Phone: 949-548-8861 

Breakfast: SAT - SUN 9 AM – 11 AM 

Lunch: MON - FRI 12 PM – 3 PM 

Welcome Home Ministry 

18225 Bushard Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Phone: 714-962-2593 

Hours: SAT 6 AM – 12 PM 

Offers hot meal, shower, clothes, laundry facility, and haircuts.

We Care of Los Alamitos 

3788 Cerritos Avenue, Los Alamitos, CA 90720

Phone: 562-598-9790 

Hours: TUE, THUR, FRI 10 AM – 2:30 PM 

Provides perishable and non-perishable groceries.

South

Family Assistance Ministries Food Pantry 

1030 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, CA 92673 

Phone: 949-492-8477

Hours: MON – FRI 10 AM – 3 PM 

30071 Glenn Ivy Dr, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 

Hours: 2nd & 4th THUR 10 AM – 3 PM 

32203 Del Obispo Street, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 

Hours: 2nd & 4th THUR 10 AM – 3 PM 

Families Forward Food Pantry 

8 Thomas, Irvine, CA 92618 

Phone: 949-552-2727 

Hours: MON - THUR 10 AM – 2 PM 

Father Serra’s Food Pantry 

31520 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Phone: 949-234-1302 

Hours: MON, WED, SAT 10:30 AM – 12 P 

Laguna Beach Food Pantry 

20652 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 

Phone: 949-497-7121 

Hours: MON - FRI 8 AM – 10:30 AM 

South County Outreach Food Pantry 

7 Whatney, Suite B Irvine, CA 92618 

Phone: 949-380-8144 

Hours: MON, WED – FRI 9 AM – 3:30PM 

TUE 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM 

Vineyard Community Church 

27631 El Lazo, Suite A, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 

Phone: 949-425-3787 

Hours: MON 4 PM – 6 PM WED, FRI 12 PM – 2 PM 

• Those who are homeless due to circumstances beyond their control, and seek a return to self-sufficiency. 
• Those suffering from mental impairment, mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other conditions that inhibit reasoning skills.
• Those who choose to be transient, refuse help, and choose to live outdoors, while observing the law.
• Those who refuse help, make a conscious choice to be homeless, and may be engaging in illegal activity such as theft, public intoxication, trespassing, aggressive panhandling, and vandalism.

Our HEART Officers have helped several people find a successful path back from the homeless life. To learn more about HEART, visit the Orange Police Department Field Services Division.

• Within the City of Orange, contact the Orange Police Department at (714) 744-7444.
• To report something outside the City of Orange's jurisdiction, contact the Orange County Sheriff's Department at (714) 288-6742.