County gives 5-day eviction notice to dozens of homeless living near NHL stadium

Homeless people living on a riverbank near the Anaheim Ducks National Hockey League stadium have been asked to move due to concerns about crime.

Dozens of homeless people have set up about 60 tents for months along a 2,300-foot sandy dirt path on the west bank of the Santa Ana River, near the Honda Center, Orange County spokeswoman Carrie Braun told the Orange County Register newspaper Friday.

The newspaper reported that work notices dated July 12 stated that homeless people living in the area need to move by Monday, July 17, and that the county will install security fencing and a gate to restrict access to the area.

The notices warned that “unauthorized persons” who don’t abide by the notice “may be subject to citation and prosecution for trespass” under the penal code, according to the newspaper.

According to Braun, the county had safety concerns with a nearby railroad bridge. Also, some nearby residents and Honda Center visitors have complained about the homeless encampment.

While Honda Center staff have discussed the impact of the homeless people on increased petty thefts to visitors of the stadium, a spokeswoman for the arena’s management told the newspaper it wasn’t involved in the county decision.

“There’s no expectation from the county that we are going to go in and the entire area will be cleared in the space of a couple hours,” Braun told the Orange County Register, acknowledging that the moving process may take longer.

Personal items that homeless people own can be stored for up to 90 days upon request at a storage site near the Anaheim Angels’ stadium, Braun said.

The county was reportedly sued earlier this year for discarding homeless peoples’ property after a flood control project forced them to relocate to the west side of the river, including near the Honda Center.

This story was originally published July 15, 2017 at 5:25 PM with the headline "County gives 5-day eviction notice to dozens of homeless living near NHL stadium."