The winter shelter located at the North Neighborhood Library opened on Dec. 21 and will operate through March 31, 2018.
Other local year-round shelters include the Long Beach Rescue Mission, Project Achieve, Catholic Charities and Lydia House.
“The Winter Shelter Program provides much needed temporary shelter for individuals living on the streets during cold and rainy weather,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “The shelter not only provides a safe place to sleep but links individuals to services and resources to help them rebuild their lives.”
The shelter will operate daily between the hours of 5pm and 7am. In the event of rainy weather, the operator may extend the hours. Once checked into the shelter, participants cannot exit and enter at-will. The shelter will not accept walk-ins. Participants must be transported to and from the shelter from designated pick-up/drop-off areas.
The pick-up locations and times for transportation to the winter shelter will be: Channel St. Park & Ride, 110 Underpass/Channel Street, in San Pedro at 4:15pm; and Long Beach Multi-Service Center, 1301 W. 12th St. in Long Beach at 5:15pm. The transportation will arrive at the shelter at 6:15pm.
The drop-off locations and times for departing from the winter shelter will be: departure from the shelter at 6:15am; arrival at Long Beach Multi-Service Center, 1301 W. 12th St. in Long Beach at 7:15am; and arrival at Channel St. Park & Ride, 110 Underpass/Channel Street, in San Pedro at 8:15am.
“There is a serious need in the city of Long Beach to provide a shelter during these inclement winter months,” said 8th District Councilmember Al Austin. “The old North Library located in District 8 will be utilized as the winter shelter location for this year. We are proud that our city will have this resource to serve those most in need and save human lives over the next few weeks.”
On Dec. 5, the Long Beach City Council voted to adopt a resolution authorizing the operation of a winter shelter in north Long Beach.
The nonprofit United States Veterans Initiative is serving as the provider for the 2017-2018 Winter Shelter Program for Service Planning Area (SPA) 8, the southernmost part of Los Angeles County that serves the communities of Athens, Avalon, Carson, Catalina Island, El Segundo, Gardena, Harbor City, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox, Long Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Dominguez, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, San Pedro, Wilmington and others.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the administrative authority responsible for selecting the winter shelter operator, chose the nonprofit.
Source: City of LB
