Time to Do Something About Homelessness

Re “The Wrong Approach,” Aug. 19 editorial:

We wholeheartedly agree with your editorial.

Prosecutor Greg Palmer’s advice to the city of Buena Park to tinker with the wording of its vagrancy laws so the homeless such as Diane Grue can be sent to jail more readily is completely misdirected.

As you suggest, his emphasis should have been on urging that shelter be made available to the homeless and pointing out that the lack of shelter--only 2,000 beds for 10 times as many homeless--is a countywide problem.

We really need to press Orange County supervisors to finally tackle this problem. It has festered for more than 20 years, ever since Reaganville tent encampments first sprouted up in many parts of Orange County.

Unfortunately, our then highly venerated, long-term supervisor Tom Riley set the wrong tone when he declared the homeless issue to be a city matter, not a county matter, though camping in county parks was allowed for short periods.

That kind of moving the homeless around, thereby evading responsibility temporarily, has delayed effective action ever since.

Shirley Price

Roland Schinzinger

Irvine