Santa Ana coordinates encampment sanitation operations along the Santa Ana River and civic center, providing storage of personal belongings, advance notice to occupants, and outreach connection to OC Continuum of Care services.
Encampment cleanups in Santa Ana follow a sanitation protocol shaped by federal litigation over the Santa Ana riverbed encampments. The city posts written notice at least 72 hours in advance, sends outreach teams from the OC Health Care Agency and the Continuum of Care, stores personal property tagged for retrieval rather than destroying it, and offers shelter referrals before clearing the site. Hazardous waste, abandoned property, and public health risks receive expedited treatment. The civic center plaza, the riverbed, and freeway underpasses are the most active sites for these operations.
Conducting cleanups without notice, destroying personal property without storage, or failing to offer shelter referrals exposes the city to federal civil rights claims and injunctive relief.
See how other cities in Orange County handle encampment sanitation.
See how Santa Ana's encampment sanitation rules stack up against other locations.
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