Huntington Beach homeless advocacy group dodges eviction but must move in a year

Huntington Beach homeless advocacy group Beach Cities Interfaith Services got more time to find a new home Monday.

BCIS, which operates out of trailers at 18131 Gothard St. near Central Park, had been slated for eviction by Jan. 8 under a recommendation by city staff, which expressed concern about increasing crime around the park.

But the City Council took no action on the recommendation, effectively letting BCIS continue operating on the publically owned property through October 2018, when its original lease was set to expire.

BCIS, which serves an estimated 2,500 people annually, had dozens of supporters crowding the council chamber.

Karen Maurer, the organization’s executive director, urged the council to let the group stay.

“Evicting BCIS does not solve the [homeless] problem,” she said. “It only exacerbates it.”

The Rev. Christian Mondor said BCIS helps many people from Huntington Beach.

“All of us need to be engaged in helping those of us who are in need,” he said.

Other speakers pointed to specific cases in which BCIS has provided invaluable services, such as getting a man enrolled in truck driving training and acquiring an inhaler for a teenager with asthma.

Councilman Erik Peterson called BCIS a “valuable service” but added it should find a home away from Central Park.

City officials have said that since BCIS went to Gothard Street in 2014, they’ve noted increased police and emergency calls, fires near homeless encampments and acts of “major vandalism.”

The council debated on how the city manager’s office, Police Department and other city staff could aid in BCIS’ relocation. Some council members were concerned, however, about committing the city to that because it shouldn’t be the public’s job.

“We’re not running your nonprofit,” Councilwoman Jill Hardy said.

“We’re not gonna do it for you,” Councilman Patrick Brenden added. “We’re gonna do it with you.”

Before BCIS moved to Gothard, it was at the Main Street library but lost that space amid concerns about transients flooding the neighborhood.

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