The Honorable Jim Palmer, J.S.D., has been appointed as a Commissioner on the Orange County Commission to End Homelessness. The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously appointed him to serve on the new commission. Dr. Palmer states, “I am very excited to see the inclusion of so many local business leaders like Richard Afable, Jack Toan, and Daniel Young, along with other local government and community leaders.”
The newly restructured, nineteen member Commission to End Homelessness (Commission), adopted by the Board of Supervisors at its January 23, 2018 meeting, is being seated to bring together regional leadership to address the new demographics of homelessness. The Commission will focus on public and private system integration of criminal justice, health care, homeless services and affordable housing. In addition to system integration, the Commission will focus on ending homelessness through: implementing regional goals and strategies, strengthening regional capacity and multi-city, multi-sector investments, integration and coordination of services, and affordable housing development.
Dr. Palmer stated, “Now is the time to activate our local business, corporate, and faith-based leaders to take a lead role in identifying opportunities and implement strategies to effectively reduce the challenges and issues that bring individuals and families to homelessness.”
Dr. Palmer brings with him 35 years of experience of providing a hand up instead of a handout to the homeless in Orange County. He has served as a Tustin City Councilmember, County Housing Commissioner, and a US Senate confirmed Presidential Appointee. Palmer currently serves as the President of Orange County Rescue Mission, Inland Empire Rescue Mission, Restoration Roasters, Double R Ranch, Laurel House, and Chairman of the Board for Hurtt Family Health Clinics. He lives in Tustin and he has two sons and three daughters.
