Closure of Armory Shelters Called Financial Necessity

A decision last week to temporarily close Orange County’s two armories as homeless shelters drew a storm of criticism, but the closure was necessary to save limited money and arrange for security, a county official said Thursday.

County government has permission to use state National Guard armories in Fullerton and Santa Ana as temporary shelters for the homeless during winter months. Use of the two shelters began Dec. 7, but they were closed Saturday even though nighttime temperatures have dropped into the 40s in many areas.

The two armories are scheduled to reopen today for at least three days.

Maria Mendoza, county government’s homeless-issues coordinator, said Wednesday that the decision to close the armories for a few days was made last week because the forecast did not predict temperatures below 40 degrees.

But Mendoza said the closing mainly was necessary because Orange County only has $228,000 in federal and state grant funds to operate the two armories throughout the winter. Armories in Los Angeles County have remained open, but they too will face a similar problem if money runs out.

“We have to be prudent,” Orange County’s Mendoza said. “The coldest weather usually comes in January and February, and we must make sure we have the money to open the shelters during those periods.”

Jere Witter, Orange County Legal Aid’s liaison for homeless people, on Wednesday was among those who criticized the county’s closure of the armories.

“Other counties are doing a better job of keeping their armories open,” Witter said. “Orange County can find a way if it wants to. A lot of people out there are getting cold because our armories are not being kept open.”

Mendoza acknowledged that she received much criticism for the closure decision. “But it’s not a matter of being insensitive,” she said. “The client (homeless person) always comes first, but we don’t have the budget to keep the armories open all the time.”

Although the state provides its two armories rent-free for temporary county use, the county must pay for private security forces that are hired when the shelters are open. The county must also pay for food provided to the people using the shelter, for various equipment and for repairs to anything that is broken, Mendoza said.

Mendoza said the county’s $228,000 makes it impossible to keep the armories open continually. Last winter the county could only open the armories a total of 28 days, and she said she wants to extend that number of days this winter. To do so will require stretching the limited money, she noted.