Homelessness task force to be created

The creation of a “City Manager’s Homeless Task Force” to study the problem and consider the creation of an emergency homeless shelter was approved by the city council Wednesday on a 5-0 vote.

Under the proposal, the task force is to be composed of various “stakeholders” including representatives from the city police department, the Westminster School District, the city’s economic development advisory task and five community residents, chosen by City Manager Eddie Manfro.

The task force would study the issues and submit recommendations and findings to the city council before Feb. 28, 2020.

According to a staff report, a point-in-time count and survey in January 2019 identified 184 homeless people in Westminster. Countywide, the homeless count for Orange County is 6,860, an increase of 43 percent since a 2017 count.

Westminster does not have a shelter for the homeless, along with nearby cities such as Huntington Beach and Garden Grove.