A proposal to develop year-round emergency homeless shelters operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week moved forward Tuesday with approval by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Under a motion by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey Horvath, the board directed the county CEO to report back with a strategy to establish eight round-the-clock shelters, one in each of the county's Service Planning Areas. Barger and Horvath stressed in the motion the importance of providing shelter and emergency care to unhoused individuals during an ongoing climate crisis.
"The vision is straightforward: keep those who are most vulnerable safe from the extreme weather that is battering Los Angeles County year-round," Barger in a statement following the vote. "This is another step to enhance our emergency sheltering capabilities to help those in need find a safe place that offers relief."
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The motion cited the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's 2024 Point in Time Count, noting there are more than 75,000 people experiencing homelessness in the county, with 52,365 unsheltered, and 22,947 sheltered individuals.
The emergency shelters are expected to provide "core support" for homeless people, including three meals a day, showers, bathrooms, clothes and other basic needs, according to Barger's office.
The CEO's report, which is expected to be presented in a month, will examine the provision of services such as medical care, mental health and substance abuse treatment, housing navigation, legal document retrieval and record clearing. The report is also expected to identify potential funding and locations for the emergency shelters.
"Los Angeles County is expanding its emergency resources to ensure our most vulnerable community members can access safe shelter and services during inclement weather events," Horvath said. "With lives on the line, the new normal of extreme weather calls on us to more readily open shelters and share resources widely."
