ANAHEIM – In an attempt to help cure the growing problem of homeless people putting down stakes along the Santa Ana River Trail, the City Council could decide Tuesday, Sept. 12, whether to declare a state of emergency.

The seven-member council could take action on the polarizing homeless situation that has divided residents, homeless advocates, and city and Orange County leaders grappling with how best to address the problem.

“We are at a crisis point,” said Councilwoman Kris Murray, who introduced a proposal called Operation Home Safe. “The level of disease, the increase in property crimes, the threat to public safety to those who bike and walk along the Santa Ana River Trail and neighboring communities – we have residents crying out for help.”

Under Murray’s plan, the city would work with the county to get in place as quickly as possible 100 additional beds, already set to be built next year, at the Bridges at Kraemer Place, the county’s homeless shelter in Anaheim that opened in May with 100 beds.

Further, the city and the county would look for ways to develop a 500-bed temporary, emergency shelter together, while also providing mental- and behavioral-health resources and services for the estimated 422 homeless living along the rows of encampments along the riverbed from the Honda Center to Angel Stadium.

“We want to create a thorough, comprehensive action plan that would first start with pulling together and building a collaboration with the city of Orange, the county, local law enforcement and nonprofits,” Murray said. “We want to make sure there are enough services for those living in these encampments and connect them with real aid.”

Then, once the homeless move out of the encampments along the riverbed, anyone caught setting up a makeshift tent would have to deal with local laws – and Anaheim has an anti-camping ordinance.

“This is a nation of laws,” the councilwoman said. “It is not legal to pitch a tent at a local park. … There’s a genuine public safety concern.”

Mohammed Aly, a lawyer and founder of the nonprofit Orange County Poverty Alleviation Coalition, is concerned about Murray’s proposal.

“There’s nowhere else for them to go,” said Aly, who planned to attend the meeting.

“Speaking as a lawyer, Murray’s program would not survive a constitutional challenge,” said Aly, referring to a position that criminalizing homeless could be considered cruel and unusual punishment. “There are more than 4,700 homeless people living in Orange County, many in Anaheim and the riverbed. The county has a shortfall of 2,000 beds.”

He said that Anaheim and other cities should focus on incremental changes, such as adding more services and building affordable-housing units.

If you want to see the meeting …

When: 5 p.m.Tuesday, Sept. 12

Where: Anaheim City Hall, 200 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim

TV: Live video of the meeting can be seen on Anaheim.net under “City Hall.”