Hundreds of east Santa Ana residents showed up Tuesday night to voice their disapproval of a proposed year-round homeless shelter. Many of those opposed to the shelter were from the neighborhoods surrounding where the facility would operate, which is also one of Orange County's poorest areas. 

According to Voice of OC, more than 300 people attended a community event to discuss the issue. At Kennedy Elementary School, local residents gathered and took turns voicing their opinions and fears that opening a year-round homeless shelter would invite heightened drug use as well as potentially provide residence for sex offenders or even serial killers.

Residents also voiced concerns over increased poverty and gang violence, which already plague eastern Santa Ana. Locals feel that they would have to bear the brunt of the additional strain of opening their community to potentially hundreds of homeless citizens. The meeting was not without some controversy, though. Homeless rights advocates also attended to attempt to dispel what they feel are negative stereotypes which inaccurately portray homeless people as somehow being a threat to society. 

One area of contention local residents have is that they claim they weren't "properly notified or consulted" before the Orange County Board of Supervisors decided to OK the purchase of a warehouse to house the proposed shelter, reports Voice. The approval occurred on July 15, and authorized the county to acquire a 23,000 square-foot warehouse in east Santa Ana. The county did hold an outreach meeting on July 2nd, but residents say it didn't provide them with enough time.

Dora Lopez, a resident of the area near the proposed shelter, told the crowd "We are a community that deserves justice and consideration. We deserve and demand to be informed about what goes on in our community."

According to Voice of OC, Orange County is one of the few large metropolitan populations that doesn't provided homeless citizens with access to a year-round shelter. National Guard armories house temporary shelters in Fullerton and Santa Ana each year between the months of December and April. 

This isn't the first time Orange County has tried to open a permanent shelter. The Fullerton City Council rejected a previous plan last year amid similar community resistance.

Many city council members attended the forum on Tuesday but they have no jurisdiction in the matter since the site is currently managed by the county.

While many residents want to help those in need, they feel that the site in question is just not the correct place to house a permanent homeless facility. 

Having more homeless people would be a little more of a risk toward us," stated one resident. Yet there were also homeless people at the meeting trying to show that the stereotypes of homeless drug addicts and criminals are over-hyped. 

"I don't do drugs. I don't drink. Not every homeless person is the same," explained one homeless man. "I'm just down on my freaking luck."