At its board meeting on December 16, the Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously supported the item, initiated by Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, to continue the Weather Activated RooMs for Families program (WARM) for a second winter to provide motel stays during cold weather for unhoused families in the Second District.

“We began this program last winter to provide unhoused families with hotel stays during severe storms or extreme cold,” said Supervisor Sarmiento. “This year, the need is no less urgent, and we want to make sure we use the program’s remaining funding to ensure that these families and children do not have to face these weather conditions in a car or on the street.”

With this action, the Board supported the allocation of $150,000 in Second District discretionary funds to Pathways of Hope to support a second winter of operation of the WARM program. The program will operate from January through April 30, 2026.

The $150,000 will pay for motel rooms, food assistance, and the administration of the program. “Pathways of Hope will also work with the families to connect them to additional longer-term housing and social services resources,” added Supervisor Sarmiento. “While providing temporary shelter is key during the worst of the cold weather, we cannot forget the challenges faced by these families year-round.”

The program partners with schools to identify unhoused families and invite them to opt into the program. When cold weather is expected, the families can be contacted and placed in hotels or motels, in the city where the children attend school for a minimum of two nights. They will also be provided with transportation and food assistance.

“I am grateful for the support of the school districts that serve our students as we move forward to provide this much-needed assistance to Second District families,” added Supervisor Sarmiento.