Rise in Orange County homeless deaths cause concern amid pandemic

Arthur Johnson looks out toward his belongings on the ground that will need to be cleaned up and stored as Orange County officials started clearing homeless camps in that area of the Santa Ana riverbed on Jan. 22, 2018. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Sep 7, 2020 / 06:28 PM PDT

Updated: Sep 7, 2020 / 06:28 PM PDT

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Advocates for the homeless are concerned about an increase in deaths since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in Orange County.

According to data from the coroner’s office, 146 homeless people died between April and August. During the same period last year, there were 82 deaths among the homeless.

Although the coroner does not list a cause of death if it’s from natural causes, more than 90 of the causes for the homeless were left blank in reports. The Rev. Dennis Kriz, an advocate, believes the rising deaths may be linked to the pandemic in an indirect way, including lack of outreach efforts.

Kriz has been documenting the deaths of the homeless monthly for the Voice of OC.

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