California Cities Turn Industrial Spaces into Homeless Shelters
2022-03-18
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1Two property developers in California are turning huge, industrial spaces into shelters for homeless people.
2The developers - brothers Ryan and Jeremy Ogulnick - created their first shelter in just under a month in the Orange County city of Santa Ana.
3The effort helped the city deal with its homeless crisis.
4The brothers then repeated the process in the nearby cities of Anaheim and Fullerton.
5They were able to convert properties into shelters in a matter of months.
6In each case, the Ogulnicks also made a profit for themselves.
7Such shelters have given a second chance to people like Roland Flores.
8The 48-year-old was living with his grandmother as her caretaker and lost the home when she died.
9Today, he lives at the Fullerton shelter. During his nine-month stay at the shelter, he has been able to seek medical treatment and get his birth certificate and Social Security card.
10"They're giving me the tools that I need," Flores said of the workers at the shelter.
11The non-profit group Illumination Foundation operates the Fullerton shelter.
12Ryan Ogulnick says he could build 50 such shelters across Southern California if the money was available.
13Instead of leasing the spaces to private companies, they are rented to a city or to homeless services providers.
14"It's such a simple solution," Ogulnick said.
15His company, Vineyards Development, invested $9.2 million to rebuild the new Santa Ana Carnegie Shelter over a period of nine months.
16The company will rent it to the Illumination Foundation and the city for $44,000 a month when it opens next week.
17As quick and simple as they are, these emergency shelters are only a short-term solution.
18Affordable housing is limited and housing costs continue to rise.
19Some critics are worried that Orange County officials are content with a solution that does not lead to permanent housing for the homeless.
20"It's very clear that the strategy being used right now in Orange County is more about appearances than solutions," said lawyer Brooke Weitzman.
21She is co-founder of ELDR Center, a law office representing people who are homeless, older, or disabled.
22Last year, the United States was about 7 million units short of enough affordable housing, said a study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
23In Los Angeles County, the homeless population is estimated at 66,000.
24Orange County, just south of L.A. County, has a homeless population of about 7,000.
25Nearly 60 percent of the homeless population is unsheltered, the latest complete count in 2019 found.
26Shelters increased in numbers after a 2018 federal appeals court ruling banned police from arresting people on the streets if a community lacks enough shelter beds.
27Emergency shelter beds in Orange County increased 159 percent from 2015 to 2021, according to Orange County Homeless Management Information System data.
28However, permanent supportive housing, which provides housing as well as social services, grew by just 13 percent over that same period.
29"Instead of building actual...affordable housing, what they've done is throw up mass shelters," said Eve Garrow.
30She is a homelessness policy expert and activist at the ACLU of Southern California.
31Paul Leon is president and CEO of the Illumination Foundation.
32He agrees that more housing is needed, but he said many people are unprepared to go immediately from the street to being responsible for a home.
33His foundation has operated all of the shelters built by the Ogulnicks.
34The foundation offers support services including healthcare and mental health and drug abuse counseling.
35The Ogulnicks turned a former engineering company in an industrial area into the 150-bed Fullerton Navigation Center.
36In an effort to reduce complaints from neighbors, the shelter bans residents from walking in and out.
37This keeps them out of public view.
38Shelter vehicle drivers take residents in and out through a side gate.
39Leon said most people with support move from the streets to homes of their own.
40Some of those who do not may go to jail or return to the streets.
41"That tells us we need more housing," Leon said.
42Weitzman has concerns about Ogulnick's claims about the speed and cost-effectiveness of mass shelters.
43She said the best solution to homelessness has always been housing.
44"When people are homeless, they're those homeless folks," Weitzman said.
45"And when people are housed, they're your neighbors."
46I'm Ashley Thompson.
1Two property developers in California are turning huge, industrial spaces into shelters for homeless people. 2The developers - brothers Ryan and Jeremy Ogulnick - created their first shelter in just under a month in the Orange County city of Santa Ana. The effort helped the city deal with its homeless crisis. The brothers then repeated the process in the nearby cities of Anaheim and Fullerton. They were able to convert properties into shelters in a matter of months. 3In each case, the Ogulnicks also made a profit for themselves. 4Such shelters have given a second chance to people like Roland Flores. The 48-year-old was living with his grandmother as her caretaker and lost the home when she died. Today, he lives at the Fullerton shelter. During his nine-month stay at the shelter, he has been able to seek medical treatment and get his birth certificate and Social Security card. 5"They're giving me the tools that I need," Flores said of the workers at the shelter. The non-profit group Illumination Foundation operates the Fullerton shelter. 6Ryan Ogulnick says he could build 50 such shelters across Southern California if the money was available. Instead of leasing the spaces to private companies, they are rented to a city or to homeless services providers. 7"It's such a simple solution," Ogulnick said. 8His company, Vineyards Development, invested $9.2 million to rebuild the new Santa Ana Carnegie Shelter over a period of nine months. The company will rent it to the Illumination Foundation and the city for $44,000 a month when it opens next week. 9As quick and simple as they are, these emergency shelters are only a short-term solution. Affordable housing is limited and housing costs continue to rise. Some critics are worried that Orange County officials are content with a solution that does not lead to permanent housing for the homeless. 10"It's very clear that the strategy being used right now in Orange County is more about appearances than solutions," said lawyer Brooke Weitzman. She is co-founder of ELDR Center, a law office representing people who are homeless, older, or disabled. 11'We need more housing' 12Last year, the United States was about 7 million units short of enough affordable housing, said a study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition. 13In Los Angeles County, the homeless population is estimated at 66,000. Orange County, just south of L.A. County, has a homeless population of about 7,000. Nearly 60 percent of the homeless population is unsheltered, the latest complete count in 2019 found. 14Shelters increased in numbers after a 2018 federal appeals court ruling banned police from arresting people on the streets if a community lacks enough shelter beds. 15Emergency shelter beds in Orange County increased 159 percent from 2015 to 2021, according to Orange County Homeless Management Information System data. However, permanent supportive housing, which provides housing as well as social services, grew by just 13 percent over that same period. 16"Instead of building actual...affordable housing, what they've done is throw up mass shelters," said Eve Garrow. She is a homelessness policy expert and activist at the ACLU of Southern California. 17Paul Leon is president and CEO of the Illumination Foundation. He agrees that more housing is needed, but he said many people are unprepared to go immediately from the street to being responsible for a home. 18His foundation has operated all of the shelters built by the Ogulnicks. The foundation offers support services including healthcare and mental health and drug abuse counseling. 19The Ogulnicks turned a former engineering company in an industrial area into the 150-bed Fullerton Navigation Center. In an effort to reduce complaints from neighbors, the shelter bans residents from walking in and out. This keeps them out of public view. Shelter vehicle drivers take residents in and out through a side gate. 20Leon said most people with support move from the streets to homes of their own. Some of those who do not may go to jail or return to the streets. 21"That tells us we need more housing," Leon said. 22Weitzman has concerns about Ogulnick's claims about the speed and cost-effectiveness of mass shelters. She said the best solution to homelessness has always been housing. 23"When people are homeless, they're those homeless folks," Weitzman said. "And when people are housed, they're your neighbors." 24I'm Ashley Thompson. 25The Reuters news agency reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. 26__________________________________________________________________ 27Words in This Story 28convert - v. to change (something) into a different form or so that it can be used in a different way 29lease - v. to use (something) for a period of time in return for payment 30rent - v. to pay money in return for being able to use (something that belongs to someone else) 31complaint - n. a statement that you are unhappy or not satisfied with something 32resident - n. someone who lives in a particular place 33affordable - adj. able to be paid for; not costly 34tent - n. a portable shelter that is used outdoors, is made of cloth (such as canvas or nylon), and is held up with poles and ropes 35strategy - n. a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time