By Jim Shilander
The San Clemente-based homeless advocacy group iHope will close its office next month and operate temporarily out a Capistrano Beach locale, organization leaders have confirmed.
An email sent to organization supporters Tuesday said the group will host clients for the last time at its 106 West Canada location on Friday, and that the office will be permanently closed next month. The organization has plans to open an office, and possibly a shelter, in San Clemente next year.
Members of iHope clashed with the city of Dana Point earlier this year, following the death of Brandi Fox, a homeless woman, in a Capistrano Beach alleyway in early 2013.
In 2011, the city began enforcing a 10-bed zoning restriction, which ultimately led to the closing of area’s only emergency shelter. Advocates have held that a lack of resources, like a cold-weather shelter, led to Fox’s death. iHope members pressed the city at a string of spring meetings to reconsider its restriction, but the city has maintained the 10-bed limit doesn’t restrict local organizations from running emergency shelters.
Leaders of iHope said they will look for a temporary home for the organization’s resource center, before an emergency shelter can be established.
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