COUNTYWIDE : Bar Assn. Moves to Help Homeless

The Orange County Bar Assn. has earmarked $10,000 for its homeless task force to assist in efforts to place transients in temporary housing.

The much-needed funds will be used by the task force to help the county-based Shelter for the Homeless with its Operation Fresh Start. That program’s goal is to place more than 400 homeless people in temporary living quarters before Santa Ana’s anti-camping ordinance takes effect in September.

Part of the money will be used for an Aug. 18 formal training program for attorneys who will help the homeless obtain Social Security benefits. Orange County Bar Assn. officials said they are optimistic that the program will be successful in helping to relocate the displaced.

Part of the grant money will be used to fund Civic Center Beautification Day on Aug. 29. During the event, lawyers and other concerned citizens will clean up and beautify the area around the civic center in Santa Ana.

The city’s homeless population has increased over the last decade, sparking confrontations with civic center employees and others who have complained of being harassed by indigents. Task force members said their goal is to place all the homeless people living in the civic center area in shelters before Aug. 29.