Supervisors will spend $200-thousand from their contingency fund to feed people at the Bakersfield Homeless Center, which lost a traditional source of funding this year at the same time the homeless population is exploding in growth. Leticia Perez says Orange County’s budget took a hit for failing to address a large homeless encampment. “The Feds came in and have imposed now more than a $10-million solution to them, so these are issues that I think we need to think about.” The money will help provide a thousand additional meals a month for homeless people and those who have nothing to eat, as rising housing prices force many families with children out of their homes. Homeless Center Director Louis Gill made his request in a letter Tuesday to the Board, with a similar request also sent to the Bakersfield City Council.
Suzanne Grant