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Sanford Kids tells commission youth homelessness is rising in Mission Viejo, cites county data
Summary
Sanford Kids told the commission it served 76 Mission Viejo youth last year and cited countywide and district figures indicating rising youth homelessness as commissioners consider local CDBG funding priorities.
Samantha Beer, a case manager for Sanford Kids, warned commissioners that youth homelessness is increasing locally and across Orange County and urged continued investment in prevention and outreach.
"Last year, Sanford Kids served 76 homeless and at risk Mission Viejo youth," Beer said, and she cited broader reports including an Orange County grand jury estimate that there are 30,000 homeless school-age children countywide. Beer told commissioners that the cost to outreach to and stabilize one youth—about $3,700 on average for Sanford Kids' program—is far lower than the annual cost often associated with an adult experiencing homelessness.
Commissioners asked Beer for clarifications about populations served, inclusive services for LGBTQ youth and grant-writing capacity; Beer said the organization does not discriminate and has a consistent volunteer grant writer and program staff who provide wraparound services and referrals. Commissioners acknowledged the data while noting limited local CDBG funds and the need to allocate scarce resources across prioritized categories.
