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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Ahead of temperatures reaching the low 40s and high 30s over the next week, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority has opened a majority of its winter shelters throughout Los Angeles County.
The Winter Shelter Program has 315 beds at 11 sites to provide some of the city's unhoused residents with a warm place to sleep, eat and access supportive services and housing assistance, LAHSA announced Monday.
LAHSA's most recent homeless count, which took place at the start of 2020, found that there were 66,436 people experiencing homelessness in the county. The 2021 count was not conducted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The winter shelter beds -- which are available through March 2022 -- are provided by nonprofit service providers and funded by the city and Los Angeles County.
``While many of our winter shelters never went offline in order to provide safe places for people to come indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, we're glad to bring our full portfolio online to offer protection from the rain and cold,'' said LAHSA Executive Director Heidi Marston. ``We're grateful to the city and county of Los Angeles and the many cities throughout the county we partner with to provide these havens during winter.''
The 264 winter shelter beds listed on LAHSA's website as of Tuesday afternoon are:
-- 57 co-ed beds at Pacoima Church, operated by Hope of the Valley and reachable at 818-257-8521 (the address is confidential and provided by phone only);
-- 49 co-ed beds at Weingart Center, at 544 S. San Pedro St. in downtown Los Angeles, operated by the Weingart Association and reachable at 213-689-2152;
-- 63 co-ed beds at Athens Park, at 12603 S. Broadway in Willowbrook, operated by Home At Last and reachable at 323-787-7241;
-- 20 women-only beds at Bryant Temple Women's Shelter, at 2514 W. Vernon Ave. in Hyde Park, operated by Bryant Temple CDC and reachable at 323-792-4162;
-- 45 co-ed beds at Long Beach WSP Site, at 1718-1722 Hayes St. in Long Beach, operated by Volunteers of America and reachable at 213-328-9928; and
-- 30 women-only beds at a Home At Last Facility at 8311 S. Western Ave. in Manchester Square, reachable at 323-909-5913.
Some of the shelters provide transportation for people who need it, but LAHSA said transportation is limited. LAHSA recommends that people choose a site, call to check availability, pack their bags and then seek transportation. Each person is allowed two bags. Pets are also allowed.
LAHSA may also provide an additional 67 beds at two sites in the event that at least one of the following conditions are met:
-- daytime temperature highs are below 50 degrees for two consecutive days;
-- nighttime lows are below 40 degrees;
-- it rains heavily for one or more consecutive days.
The weather-activated shelters are at 3650 Verdugo Road in Glassell Park and 3535 Redondo Beach Blvd. in Torrance.
People with questions about the program can call the Winter Shelter Hotline at 800-548-6047. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Photo: Getty Images