California

City to reduce homeless numbers in Tent City

Tent City residents gather as the city of Ontario starts the process of sorting out who may stay and who must leave. The city issued wristbands – blue for Ontario residents, who may stay, orange for people who need to provide more documentation, and white for those who must leave. The aim is to reduce the number of people living there from over 400 to 170.

Tent City residents gather as the city of Ontario starts the process of sorting out who may stay and who must leave. The city issued wristbands – blue for Ontario residents, who may stay, orange for people who need to provide more documentation, and white for those who must leave. The aim is to reduce the number of people living there from over 400 to 170.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Tent City residents gather as the city of Ontario starts the process of sorting out who may stay and who must leave. The city issued wristbands – blue for Ontario residents, who may stay, orange for people who need to provide more documentation, and white for those who must leave. The aim is to reduce the number of people living there from over 400 to 170.

Tent City

Ontario city code enforcement officer Joe Desousa, right, puts a wristband on a Tent City resident.. Many of the residents lacked the paperwork to prove they were Ontario residents.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Tent City

Lhing Lam, 73, says he will move to some other area if he is forced out of Tent City. No other city has yet offered to take in any of the homeless people.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Tent City

Rachelle Thompson cooks in front of her tent. Thompson received an orange wrist band, which means she must prove her Ontario residency in order to be eligible to live in Tent City.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Tent City

Linda Parker kisses Dude, her dog, outside her trailer parked at Tent City. The city has posted rules that include a ban on pets at Tent City, so Parker says she will leave rather than part with her dog.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Tent City

Diane Ritchey has been homeless for two years and has lived at Tent City since July 2007. As an Ontario resident, she got a blue wristband that allows her to stay.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Tent City

Efren Gradillas and girlfriend Gloria Marin got orange wristbands, allowing them to stay temporarily until they can prove their Ontario residency.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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