The Anaheim City Council early Wednesday unanimously voted to declare a state of emergency on the city’s growing homeless issue — especially along the tent encampments that line the Santa Ana River Trail.

In a meeting that began Tuesday night, the seven-member council heard three hours of public comment and spent nearly 90 minutes discussing the homeless issue that attracted more than 100 people to its meeting including residents, homeless advocates, business owners, and city and Orange County leaders. More than 60 people addressed the council on the issue.

“It’s important that we realize this situation has gotten to a level that it is creating a crisis in our communities and that we cannot solely rely on the county to solve this problem,” said Councilwoman Kris Murray, who introduced the resolution called Operation Home Safe. “We have got to be willing to take it to the next level.”

“As they say the riverbed is a prison without walls and it’s true,” said Councilwoman Lucille Kring. “The people are living in squalor; they don’t want help so people who are addicted [to drugs], we need to gather them up and put them somewhere where they can get the help that they need.”

Council members on Tuesday were met with a huge media presence and a fiery standing-room crowd that overflowed to a nearby room. Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer attended the meeting and called for the city and county to team up and take action on the polarizing issue.

“This is something we are all struggling with,” said Spitzer, who touted the Orange County Board of Supervisors decision earlier in the day to enhance Orange County Sheriff department patrols of the Santa Ana River Trail and flood control channels in the county.

“We have to give everything we got to solve homelessness,” Spitzer said.

Lee Adams douses himself in water as he assembled his tent by Anaheim Stadium on Tuesday, September 12, 2017. The Anaheim City Council will decide whether to declare a state of emergency on the city’s homeless issue and the adjacent Santa Ana River Trail on Tuesday night. (Photo by Ana Venegas, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Danny Simmerman speaks on the city’s homeless issue on the Santa Ana riverbed at City Hall in Anaheim on Tuesday, September 12, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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The Riverview Village homeless encampment, seen here in July, 2017 is located under the shadow of the Big A of Angel Stadium. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG file)

City of Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait speaks during a city council meeting at City Hall in Anaheim on Tuesday, September 12, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Some residents in the Santa Ana River homeless encampment call the area River View Village. The homeless encampment is seen along the Santa Ana River in Anaheim on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG file)



A cycles passes up a homeless encampment on the Santa Ana River Trail under the Big A. The Anaheim City Council will decide whether to declare a state of emergency on the city’s homeless issue and the adjacent Santa Ana River Trail on Tuesday September 12, 2017. (Photo by Ana Venegas, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Lee Adams assembles his tent by Anaheim Stadium on Tuesday, September 12, 2017. The Anaheim City Council will decide whether to declare a state of emergency on the city’s homeless issue and the adjacent Santa Ana River Trail on Tuesday night. (Photo by Ana Venegas, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Jeff Geddes, a homeless resident lives along the Santa Ana River Trail in Anaheim.The Anaheim City Council will decide whether to declare a state of emergency on the city’s homeless issue and the adjacent Santa Ana River Trail on Tuesday September 12, 2017. “There are lots of empty buildings,” said Geddes, “They need a non-profit to run one and turn it into housing for people.” (Photo by Ana Venegas, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Jeff Geddes, a homeless resident lives along the Santa Ana River Trail in Anaheim.The Anaheim City Council will decide whether to declare a state of emergency on the city’s homeless issue and the adjacent Santa Ana River Trail on Tuesday September 12, 2017. “There are lots of empty buildings,” said Geddes, “They need a non-profit to run one and turn it into housing for people.” (Photo by Ana Venegas, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Anaheim City Council will decide whether to declare a state of emergency on the city’s homeless issue and the adjacent Santa Ana River Trail on Tuesday September 12, 2017. (Photo by Ana Venegas, Orange County Register/SCNG)



The Anaheim City Council will decide whether to declare a state of emergency on the city’s homeless issue and the adjacent Santa Ana River Trail on Tuesday September 12, 2017. (Photo by Ana Venegas, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A man on a bicycle looks for his riding partner along the Santa Ana River in Orange. (File photo by Ken Steinhardt, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A man joins the recreational trail after choosing to avoid the homeless encampment while walking on the service path in Orange. (File photo by Ken Steinhardt, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Residents of the Riverview Village built a shower on the southern end of the encampment. Bruce Bishop cleans up in June, 2017 after a day of work as a painter. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG file)

A man rides through the homeless people camped in Orange. (File photo by Ken Steinhardt, Orange County Register/SCNG)



Encampments along the Santa Ana River Trail have taken root in Anaheim and elsewhere. (File photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A homeless encampment sits under the Orange (57) Freeway in Anaheim on March 8, 2017. The encampment was located south of Orangewood Avenue, but recently moved north along the Santa Ana River. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG file)

Tents that are part of a homeless encampment sit along the grass next to the bike path near Angel Stadium in Anaheim on March 8, 2017. The encampment was located south of Orangewood Avenue, but recently moved north along the Santa Ana River. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG file)

Encampments like this along the Santa Ana River Trail in January, 2017 are targeted for the “Point-in-Time” count and survey of homeless people in Anaheim. (Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG file)

The Serve The People mobile community health clinic and City Net have motor homes, seen here on September 1, 2017, which are often parked along the Santa Ana riverbed to offer services to homeless people living there. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG file)



Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer speaks on Anaheim City Council’s plan on declaring a state of emergency on the city’s homeless issue on Santa Ana riverbed at City Hall in Anaheim on Tuesday, September 12, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

City of Anaheim councilman Stephen Faessel speaks to Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer at City Hall in Anaheim on on the city’s homeless issue on Santa Ana riverbed Tuesday, September 12, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer speaks on Anaheim City Council’s plan on declaring a state of emergency on the city’s homeless issue on Santa Ana riverbed at City Hall in Anaheim on Tuesday, September 12, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

City of Anaheim councilwoman Kris Murray talks during a city council meeting at City Hall in Anaheim on Tuesday, September 12, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

City of Anaheim council members listen to public comments during a city council meeting at City Hall in Anaheim on Tuesday, September 12, 2017.(Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)



Orange County has 4,792 homeless people living in the county, according to 211OC.org’s Point in Time Count. More than 900 homeless people live in Anaheim – a number that has grown over the years – and nearly half have set up makeshift tents along a stretch near Honda Center and Angel Stadium from Ball Avenue to Chapman Avenue.

The title of Murray’s “state of emergency” homeless resolution is a bit of an overstatement. The action doesn’t release any kind of special or additional city funds. It raises a heightened sense of awareness and urgency on the matter, city staff said. But residents may notice some changes as the proposal takes effect immediately. The Anaheim Police Department plans to start a task force to patrol the area with county officers on Friday.

Under Murray’s proposal, the city would ramp up its efforts with the county, nonprofits and neighboring law enforcement agencies to clean up homeless areas, provide more mental and behavioral services, develop a shelter, and step up enforcement for the estimated 422 people living along the Santa Ana riverbed.

A yet-to-be named point person will oversee the program, Murray said.

Murray also wants to expedite the building of 100 additional beds at the county’s homeless shelter Bridges at Kraemer Place in Anaheim. The shelter opened in May with 100 beds.

Additionally, Murray wants the city and the county to work together to build a 500-bed temporary, emergency shelter. The catch, she has said, is once the homeless move out of the riverbed, Anaheim could begin to enforce its anti-camping ordinance.

“We are going to signal to the public and all agencies that we take this very, very seriously and that we understand it’s an emergency and understand it’s a crisis,” Murray said. “We got to pull every resource together to make sure people are in a safe and secure place. Then follow it, with multi-jurisdictional enforcement.”

“I really see this program as a model,” she said.

Councilman Jose Moreno voted in favor but seemed critical of parts of Murray’s resolution. He’s concerned about cost and that the plan discredits the work the council and staff have devoted on the issue the past year.

“It seems to me what this does is coordinates everything that we are doing and gives it a name,” said Moreno, who created a homeless working group to handle homeless issues earlier this year. “It brands all the work that is already existing or directed staff to do.

“There’s a narrative out there that this all brand new, that we are going to do this and I think it’s unfair to staff that has already been doing a whole lot,” he added.

Leading up to the vote, residents and advocates were split on the homeless issue.

Eve Garrow of the American Civil Liberties Union said she could not support Murray’s proposal.

“I would encourage you to rethink this approach,” Garrow said. “Yes, we do need additional services. No one city can do this alone. But we are very opposed to policy solutions that criminalize people who sleep in public because they have nowhere else to go.”

Treva Wishank, an Anaheim resident, blamed the city for not enforcing its loitering laws.

“You are the cause of this problem,” she told the council. “Instead of one tent now you have 600 tents… I’m a taxpayer. I deserve some respect too. But because you did nothing with the lawlessness, now we have to declare a state of emergency.”

Longtime homeless advocate and resident Heidi Zimmerman said people have lost their compassion and humanity.

“You don’t care about people,” she said. “Shame on you while you sleep on a warm bed.”

Elissa Goodwin, who lives adjacent to the riverbed, wanted the council to pass Murray’s plan.

“This plan has a balance of compassion and tough love,” Goodwin said. She had a message for the homeless advocates and ACLU: “Please stop enabling those that need help yet they refuse it… The homeless have to do their part.”

Kevin George, who organized a petition to clear the riverbed that has gathered 13,500 signatures, said Murray’s proposal is “a good step in the right direction.”

“Is it perfect? No. Nothing is perfect but it’s a move in the right direction. The majority of the neighbors feel that way. This is what Anaheim wants.”