Santa Ana declares homelessness a public health crisis

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- The Santa Ana City Council passed a resolution declaring the city's homeless problem a public health and safety crisis.

The resolution was passed Tuesday night just hours after Orange County supervisors approved a plan to turn the Santa Ana Transit Terminal into a transitional homeless shelter.

However, not everyone believes this plan will help in the long run.

"You can't just provide emergency shelters and transitional shelters, because those are supposed to put someone some place, where they can actually live, where they can recover, get a job," said Dylan Thompson with Project Homelessness. "There has to be housing at the end of the thing, or else it's just musical chairs, if it's going to be your turn outside or in the shelter tonight, who knows?"

Orange County lawmakers are optimistic that they can get this project done in the next 30 days. The county owns and controls the Santa Ana Transit Terminal.

The resolution passed by Santa Ana City Council calls for several measures to boost security and maintenance around the Civic Center, where an increasing number of homeless people are congregating.

Last month, the county installed bathrooms for those who camp out in the Civic Center.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.