Another 32 people died “without fixed abode” in OC in August.  Their names are:

Heather HART who died on Aug. 1st in Mission Viejo

Victor HERRERA who died on Aug. 2nd in Garden Grove

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Hermenegildo SOLACHE TORRES who died on Aug. 4th in Santa Ana

Luis CORTES MENDOZA who died on Aug. 4th in Orange

Salvador TORRES who died on Aug. 5th in Westminster

Rafael PESCADOR JR. who died on Aug. 7th in Orange

Rosalino NAVARRETE GIL who died on Aug. 8th in Santa Ana

Joshua SCOTT who died on Aug. 9th in Buena Park

Robert HOUSE who died on Aug. 10th in Yorba Linda

Kevin ARISTONDO who died on Aug. 10th in Santa Ana

Gregory MONTVILLE who died on Aug. 11th in Anaheim

Don HARN who died on Aug. 11th in Santa Ana

Sipho KHUMALO who died on Aug. 12th in Anaheim

Ismael CUEVAS DEL PILAR who died on Aug. 12th in Lake Forest

Esteban RENTERIA who died on Aug. 16th in Santa Ana

Hugo MORALES who died on Aug. 17th in Garden Grove

Dana MANIER who died on Aug. 18th in Cypress

Hernan GUTIERREZ who died on Aug. 19th in Anaheim

Andrew GALLO who died on Aug. 19th in Anaheim

Gabriel GONZALES who died on Aug. 19th in Santa Ana

Rania JAJIEH who died on Aug. 21st in Newport Beach

Diana ESPINOZA who died on Aug. 23rd in Santa Ana

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Jose GUZMAN TAPIA who died on Aug. 23rd in Anaheim

Ephraim BAUTISTA who died on Aug. 24th in Costa Mesa

Erika ROCHA who died on Aug. 25th in Fountain Valley

Michelle MCBETH who died on Aug. 26th in Santa Ana

Daniel HERRERA who died on Aug. 26th in Santa Ana

Ronald ACOSTA who died on Aug. 28th in Westminster

Larry BENN who died on Aug. 28th in Garden Grove

Espiridion MEJIA BAUTISTA who died on Aug. 28th in Orange

My ROMEO who died on Aug. 30th in Orange

Thanh VIEN who died on Aug. 31st in Fountain Valley

This may seem like a spike.  However, each year August seems to bring more homeless deaths than in July and, more often than not, more deaths than in September.  Perhaps it’s because it’s the heat of the summer.  This year, due to a larger than normal number of hurricanes below us on the Pacific side of Mexico, we’ve also had more humidity accompanying the heat than is usual.

Policy decisions of course have a long-term effect on climate.  However, policy decisions, both local and national, affect the health and state of the community of persons living without fixed abode on our streets as well.  It will be another four months or so before we see the County’s review of the homeless deaths during 2025 and a year more before we see this year’s death statistics reviewed. 

In the meantime,  we can watch and pray and seek to minimize the deaths of the unhoused on our streets, and work to provide stable roofs of over the heads this vulnerable population in our midst. 

In as much as we do so, it will improve the quality of life for us all.

Fr. Dennis Kriz, OSM

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