The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s (LAHSA) 2011-2011 Winter Shelter Program (WSP) begins December 1, 2011, and runs until March 14, 2012. The program will operate 1,498 emergency shelter beds at 16 locations throughout the City and County of Los Angeles.

As in previous years, LAHSA is partnering with local nonprofit homeless service agencies to administer the day-to-day operations of each program site. This season, the winter shelters are being administered throughout the City and County by the following service providers: Grace Resource Center (contracted by the City of Lancaster), East San Gabriel Valley Coalition, New Image Emergency Shelter, Long Beach Rescue Mission, MJB Recovery, First To Serve, Pomona Neighborhood Center, The Salvation Army Bell Shelter, LAMP Community Inc., and the Santa Clarita Community Development Corporation. These agencies will operate sites in the cities and communities of Lancaster, Sylmar, Santa Clarita, Pomona, East San Gabriel Valley, Inglewood, Long Beach, Bell, Downtown Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, and South Los Angeles. In addition to temporary emergency shelter, each program location will provide meals and access to supportive services and housing assistance.

Admittance to the shelters is available on a first-come, first-served basis for single individuals. Families seeking assistance at winter shelters will be connected to 2-1-1, the County’s free information and referral service, or may call 2-1-1 directly, and will be offered appropriate shelter and linkages to regional service providers that specialize in delivering supportive services and housing assistance to families experiencing homelessness. Individuals needing emergency shelter can get free transportation to and from the shelter locations from any one of the 46 pick-up points throughout the City and County. For a full listing of shelter schedules and pick-up points, click here, or call the Winter Shelter Hotline at 1-800-548-6047.

LAHSA has administered the Winter Shelter Program since 1994. The program is funded by the City and County of Los Angeles, with the support of the California National Guard providing shelter sites. Last winter, the WSP provided emergency shelter and services to 11,735 homeless individuals and 605 homeless families; 441 of those individuals and 198 of those families were placed into emergency, temporary or permanent housing.