The ongoing homelessness crisis in Fullerton, mirrored by statistics showing 434 individuals experiencing homelessness locally and over 7,300 countywide, underscores the urgent need for a fundamental shift in approach: a commitment to the “Housing First” model. While city initiatives like shelters and rental assistance programs provide essential services, they often serve only as temporary fixes—akin to placing a Band-Aid on a broken bone—while failing to address the root causes of homelessness.
The Tenant-Based Rental Assistance program, despite receiving over 200 applications, has only managed to approve four due to staffing shortages. This highlights a critical inefficiency: temporary assistance is constrained by limited resources and bureaucratic delays, ultimately leaving individuals without long-term stability. While funding initiatives like shelter services may offer immediate relief, they do not provide the permanency that vulnerable populations need to regain their footing.
Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Shana Charles’ proposal for a “street medicine” program is a valuable addition but remains another patch on an inadequate system. Without stable housing as the foundation, health improvements are unlikely to lead to sustainable change. Research consistently shows that individuals are more likely to achieve better health outcomes, stable employment, and reintegration into society when they have a permanent home.
The recent proposal by Councilmember Dr. Ahmad Zahra for a rent stabilization ordinance, met with resistance and attacks from Mayor Fred Jung and Councilmember Nick Dunlap. This highlights the community’s need for systemic change rather than temporary measures. Imposing a rent cap could help keep individuals in their homes and preventing the cycle of homelessness from starting in the first place.
The city’s current funding model, which is strained and predicts escalating deficits, further complicates temporary efforts and reinforces the need for a strategic pivot toward a Housing First approach. Such an approach not only provides permanent housing but also tailors supportive services to the individual’s needs, addressing behavioral health, substance abuse, and economic barriers in a holistic manner.
To truly combat homelessness, Fullerton must move beyond short-term solutions and invest in sustainable housing opportunities. This will require a reevaluation of funding priorities, collaboration with regional care systems, and a unified political will to address not only the symptoms but the systemic issues that perpetuate homelessness and costs tax payers more money year after year. Without this fundamental shift, any temporary measure will continue to be just a Band-Aid on a broken bone, failing to heal the underlying fracture of our housing crisis.
If you liked this article then you may like:
OC Grand Jury Report: Homelessness: Is Orange County Moving in the Right Direction?
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Categories: Community Voices, Local Government, Local News
Unfortunately, without a national change of mentality, this problem is not going to get solved. Right now the main blocks are:
1. The “It’ll never happen to me” mindset is locked into America’s brain (until it does happen)
2. The “OMG, this could happen to me” fear makes us turn away
3. “They’re just drugged up bums” justifies dismissal from thinking about it
4. A social Darwinism ethos that pervades far too much of the upper income classes
A neighbor of mine, many years ago, hit 60 and was tossed out of their job, and couldn’t find another due to rampant thinly masked age discrimination. They fought for three years, got physically sick, exhausted their UI, went through a paltry pension, but lost the battle, along with their rental home of decades (rent always paid on time), and wound up losing most of their worldly goods it had taken over 40 years to get, and on the street.
This person was not a druggie, drunk or head case. They were shunned by friends and what family they had left (“Aaaagh! It CAN happen to me!”)(Regrettably, I was ill and barely hanging on myself.) Years later they’re sheltered, but their remaining goods are still stored, and still lack their own home. According to figures published, the average length of homelessness is 8 to 10 years!
Yes, it CAN happen to you!
I lay a lot of the blame at what this country’s citizens: to quote Kurt Vonnegut, “The average American has taken their conscience, thrown it down a manhole, and welded the lid shut so they can no longer hear it screaming.”
No, not all of us, just the ones that are in a position to do something about the problem. (There are exceptions; like the physician who took all her excess income and started a food bank.)
Actually, most of us are either treading water, or thrashing around in it trying not to drown, and wind up homeless ourselves!
The whole country’s mentality needs a spiritual uplift at the very least, a country with a tax code that fairly taxes the rich, and closes loopholes like offshore assets being untaxable. A universal safety would help too. Not to mention an administration that gives a damn.
Fat chance. This administration is like an inverted Robin Hood: they’re taking from the poor and giving to the rich. If you don’t believe me, go look at the facts and figures; most of the holiday spending you hear so much about is done by the top 10% income bracket in this country.
In 1947 the US had put into the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights language that declared basic human rights as decent housing, a chance to earn a decent living, medical care, and assistance in case of unemployment, sickness, or old age.
Well, we sure missed that one. Close, but no cigar.
Just remember, friends and neighbors, it CAN happen to you. And for you religious folk out there:
“If you have done it unto the least of them, you have done it unto me.”
This is a bit late, but…
The US had this put in the UN Charter of Universal Human Rights in 1947:
“Article 25:
(1) “Everyone has the right to a standard
of living adequate for the health and
well-being of himself and of his family,
including food, clothing, housing and
medical care and necessary social
services, and the right to security in
the event of unemployment, sickness,
disability, widowhood, old age or other
lack of livelihood in circumstances
beyond his control.
(2) “Motherhood and childhood are entitled
to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock,
shall enjoy the same social protection.”
We still haven’t gotten there, have we?