Press Releases

ACLU Report: The Criminalization of Homelessness in Lancaster 

Report, Two Years in the Making, Spotlights Banishment of Unhoused People to the Desert

Hidden in Plain Sight: Students Experiencing Homelessness

LOS ANGELES — There are more than 200,000 K-12 students who are homeless in California, according to the state's Department of Education. At California's community colleges, roughly 1 in 5 students are also without a home. Federal and state laws require that schools to designate liaisons to identify

ACLU Uncovers Horrific Conditions, Sexual Harassment at O.C. Homeless Shelters

SANTA ANA — Orange County, in the midst of a dire homelessness crises, opened emergency shelters, giving hope to those who were living in punishing conditions on the streets. But what once was a symbol of hope has become a nightmare for many residents. A year-long investigation by the ACLU SoCal

Federal Court Approves Settlement of Laguna Beach Homelessness Suit

SANTA ANA — The U.S. District Court in Santa Ana has finalized a groundbreaking agreement that will make homelessness facilities in Laguna Beach accessible to people with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Rehabilitation Act (Rehab Act).

Orange County Agrees to Assist Homeless Individuals in Vacating the Santa Ana Riverbed

SANTA ANA – Yesterday, Orange County officials reached a settlement agreement with the ACLU Foundation of Southern California on behalf of homeless individuals entrapped in the Santa Ana Riverbed. The county has agreed to provide adequate notice, access, storage and transportation to individuals

BREAKING: Nearly 100 Individuals Fenced in at the Santa Ana Riverbed by OC Public Works

SANTA ANA - Today, the ACLU Foundation of Southern California urged Orange County officials to remove fencing around a homeless encampment on the Santa Ana Riverbed immediately. Earlier in the day, the O.C. Department of Public Works erected multiple six-foot, chainlink fences around the Santa Ana