Local Government
Moreno: Orange Beach Agrees to Stop Homeless Dumping in Escambia County
Following Sheriff Chip Simmons’ public callout, the county administrator says Orange Beach’s city administrator apologized and committed to ending the practice.
Escambia County Administrator Wes Moreno said his Monday meeting with Orange Beach City Administrator Ford Hanley produced a clear commitment: Orange Beach will stop transporting homeless individuals into Escambia County.
Background: The meeting came after Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons publicly called out the Orange Beach Police Department last week for what he called “homeless dumping.” He posted on Facebook that an Orange Beach officer in a marked police cruiser had dropped a homeless man at the Waterfront Mission. “There comes a time when you say, ‘enough is enough,'” Simmons wrote. “You cannot just abuse our tax dollars. We’re trying to get to help our own out, and surely someone in Alabama can fund their own programs.”
Meeting Recap
Moreno described the hour-long session as more of a “chat/discussion” than a formal meeting, and said Hanley set a conciliatory tone from the start.
“He was very apologetic about what took place, about their police department bringing the homeless guy over. He said, ‘I agree that’s unacceptable. It’s not what should be happening. I’m going to work to make sure it doesn’t happen in the future.'”
— Wes Moreno, recounting Ford Hanley’s remarks
Moreno told Hanley that Escambia County is a “generous community” that draws people experiencing homelessness from across the region—but that local resources are already stretched thin.
“We don’t have an overabundance of resources. We struggle to serve the homeless and provide services as it is. We certainly don’t need anybody to bring anybody else over.”
— Wes Moreno
Moreno said he framed the mutual commitment simply: Escambia County isn’t taking people to Orange Beach, and they’re asking Orange Beach to return the same courtesy. Hanley agreed.
Reconnect Program Still Active
Escambia County’s Reconnect program has helped approximately 600 individuals return home or reach communities where they have support systems. The program remains funded and operational. Residents who know someone in need of help reconnecting with family or support networks can contact Escambia County for information.
The Reconnect program reflects what Moreno described as the county’s broader approach: investing in real solutions rather than simply moving vulnerable people across jurisdictional lines.
