Public Health Report - Essay Example

Public Health Report: Santa Ana Residents Unite Against Proposed Homeless Shelter al Affiliation Public Health Report: Santa Ana Residents Unite Against Proposed Homeless ShelterIntroduction Prior to Senate Bill 2, the search of a location for homeless shelter was a daunting task. The most common is habitual resistance from the neighborhood. Resistance is ironical given that most people always pledge support of the homeless but away from their neighborhood. With Senate Bill 2, location identification is easier as is in Santa Ana.

Santa Ana Case According to Garvin (2014), June was the month when residents in Santa Ana, including Dora Lopez, received fliers about the construction homeless shelter within their neighborhood. Although Lopez expected the authorities to seek their opinion first, the flier was just to inform them since the building acquisition went ahead. A meeting held later only informed them of the advantages of the project, but Lopez, and others resisted. The authorities had used Senate Bill 2 of 2007 to designate the location of the homeless shelter as “by right” hence eliminating pressure from residents and the NIMBYs.

Although NIMBY remained in Santa Ana, the targeted warehouse had a capacity of 200 beds. The opposition was mostly due to lack of consultation from the neighbors resulting to undermined civil rights, and distraction from the homeless people including breaking into laundry rooms, leaving needles and feces behind, and taking showers using hosepipes. Despite the validity of these arguments, no supervisor attended. Conclusion With SB2 in place, the residents of Santa Ana have a tough journey ahead since the council has no authority to stop the shelter in a city-approved zone.

In the end, it appears that residents will have to learn how to live with the homeless. ReferencesGarvin, A. (2014, August 27). Santa Ana Residents Unite Against Proposed Homeless Shelter. Retrieved from http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2014/08/santa_ana_homeless_shelter.php