Homeless shelters and housing agencies throughout Southern California are struggling to find winter beds to bring people inside this week as temperatures are set to plummet across the region.
On Monday, Feb. 13, the National Weather Service predicted that a cold front would bring strong wind gusts to most of Los Angeles County, freezing temperatures to the San Fernando Valley, and nighttime lows in the 30s and 40s for the surrounding region. A Freeze Watch is in effect in L.A. County until Feb. 15, with a wind advisory expiring Feb. 14.
Although most local agencies in the region have programs in place to bring homeless people inside during cold weather events, advocates and shelter staff said that it would be difficult to find a bed.
LAHSA, the Los Angeles County Homeless Services Authority, activates a yearly Winter Shelter Program from November to March that makes more beds available at shelters throughout the region. This year, there are five winter shelters with around 150 beds in total. A LAHSA representative on Monday said that additional vouchers will be available in the Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita, the San Fernando Valley, the San Gabriel Valley, Malibu, and downtown Los Angeles over the next few days.
“With the severe winter weather approaching, we urge our unsheltered neighbors in these areas to take advantage of this life-saving program by calling 2-1-1 and coming inside to the warmth and safety of their own motel room,” a representative from LAHSA said.
The city of Pasadena offers its own winter shelter bed program when temperatures drop below 40 degrees, there is a 40% chance of rain, or wind speeds are more than 40 miles per hour. San Bernardino County offers seven winter beds. Riverside County offers 72 winter beds through the Path of Life Community Emergency Shelter from December to mid-April.
Even with additional vouchers offered, few guaranteed shelter beds were open Monday evening, and the county does not have a system in place to keep…
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