Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua is implementing a stringent policy targeting homelessness and crime, a strategy she has highlighted in a widely shared social media video. The approach emphasizes offering assistance while also enforcing laws against illegal activity and public camping.
"When help is refused and laws are being broken, there must also be accountability," Amezcua stated. "Our residents deserve clean neighborhoods. Our children deserve safe parks. Our businesses deserve safe streets."
Amezcua articulated a clear message that taxpayers and law-abiding residents should not have their public spaces overtaken by illegal activities. "Leaving people on the streets is not compassion. Helping them get off the streets is," she said. "This is what working together looks like. This is what protecting quality of life looks like."
The mayor also underscored that drug-related activities will be met with enforcement. "We are sending a clear message that drug-related activity will not be tolerated in our city."
The video gained significant traction online, sparking debate and drawing comparisons to the policies of neighboring officials, particularly Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Orange County enacted its anti-camping ordinance last November, empowering law enforcement to address unhoused individuals who decline shelter offers or service linkages while camping on county property. Violators can face fines up to $1,000 and potential jail time. The ordinance covers county parks, flood control channels, and other county-owned land.
Enforcement actions began in December. This policy shift reversed a 2019 legal settlement that previously required the county to screen individuals for mental health needs and secure available shelter before issuing citations. The stricter regulations followed the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, which permits municipalities to prohibit public camping even in situations where shelter beds are unavailable.