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REQUEST FOR L <br />COUNCIL ACTION Qt, <br />CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: <br />OCTOBER 1, 2019 <br />TITLE: <br />APPROVE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT <br />WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY CATHOLIC <br />WORKER TO RESOLVE CLAIMS <br />PERTAINING TO HOMELESSNESS IN <br />UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CASE <br />NO. SACV 18-0155-DOC (JDE) <br />(STRATEGIC PLAN NO. 5 ) <br />/s/ Kristine Ri <br />CITY MANAGER <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: <br />❑ As Recommended <br />❑ As Amended <br />❑ Ordinance on 1sl Reading <br />❑ Ordinance on 2od Reading <br />❑ Implementing Resolution <br />❑ Set Public Hearing For <br />CONTINUED TO <br />FILE NUMBER <br />Authorize the City Manager to execute a settlement agreement with the Orange County Catholic <br />Worker, an unincorporated association to resolve claims pertaining to homelessness in United <br />States District Court Case No. SACV 18-0155-DOC (JDE), subject to non -substantive changes <br />approved by the City Manager and City Attorney. <br />DISCUSSION <br />On January 29, 2018, a federal lawsuit was filed by the Orange County Catholic Worker, a <br />charitable group serving poor and homeless individuals, to halt efforts by the County of Orange to <br />remove homeless encampments along the Santa Ana Riverbed, and prevent neighboring cities <br />from citing or arresting those individuals who violated local ordinances prohibiting camping in public <br />areas. The lawsuit named the County of Orange, as well as the cities of Anaheim, Costa Mesa, <br />and Orange, as defendants. <br />The court temporarily stopped these enforcement activities until the parties reached an agreement <br />for a more orderly process of transferring individuals from the Santa Ana Riverbed, including the <br />provision of housing and treatment options for those who desired such services. A similar process <br />was utilized to relocate individuals from the large homeless encampment that was then situated in <br />the Civic Center. Following these two efforts, the parties to the litigation remained under the <br />supervision of the court with respect to their homeless populations, and were encouraged by the <br />court to reach a voluntary settlement for a more effective solution than would be accomplished <br />through prolonged litigation. <br />To influence these settlements more effectively, the City of Santa Ana elected to intervene in the <br />litigation as a defendant. Due to the City's longstanding unilateral efforts to combat homelessness <br />without any financial reimbursement, the City also sought to achieve a more coordinated solution <br />25H-1 <br />