Irvine Council Favors Idea of Sheltering Homeless in Farmhouses

The Irvine City Council on Tuesday night approved the concept of a controversial plan to convert two dilapidated farmhouses into shelters for the homeless.

In a 5-0 vote, the council accepted the Irvine Co.’s offer to donate the two farmhouses for use by the homeless. The city must find an agency to run the program.

Assistant City Manager Paul Brady said he would submit the proposal to Irvine Temporary Housing, a nonprofit agency, and board members of the agency said they would be willing to administer the program. If the agency agrees, Brady said, the council probably would give final approval to the program.

The plan to use the farmhouses arose several months after the Orange County city dropped a plan to convert part of an animal shelter into a 50-bed center for the homeless. The kennel measure, which drew angry opposition from some local residents, was initially approved by the council in the fall, but was later vetoed by the federal government, which was asked to provide funds for the conversion.

The farmhouse proposal drew both support and opposition before Tuesday night’s council vote.

Critics complained that the two farmhouses are structurally unsafe and that they are located in an isolated area, where criminals could prey upon the residents. Proponents said the buildings are a better alternative to sleeping in cars and in fields.

The farmhouses, formerly used by field workers and located on Irvine Co. agricultural property near Sand Canyon Avenue and the Santa Ana Freeway, would be used to house the city’s estimated two dozen homeless--most of them single women and their children.

“I drove by those farmhouses at 11 p.m. Friday night and, frankly, it’s dark and desolate,” said Irvine mayoral candidate Barry Hammond, 36. “My 6-year-old son said, ‘Dad, let’s get out of here. This is spooky.’ ”

Mark Roy, 36, a draftsman, complained to the council that the farmhouses were too dilapidated for habitation.

City officials maintained, however, that the houses would be safe after refurbishing. City staff estimated it would cost up to $14,000 to upgrade them to meet minimum health and safety standards.