City Locates Facility For New Emergency Homeless Shelter

LONG BEACH, CA — Following the closure of the emergency winter shelter at Community Hospital, a new temporary shelter for people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach, officials announced Tuesday.

The new shelter will be located in Long Beach's First District at 702 W. Anaheim St. and will be open from April 28 through July 28, with the possibility for services to be extended further if needed. The shelter will have space for 85 beds and will pick up where the winter shelter left off, providing critical resources for the unhoused community.

“This temporary shelter will allow us to continue to provide for people experiencing homelessness with a safe, warm place to sleep, food and access to essential services,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “While shelters like this are critical resources, our efforts must also focus on connections into permanent housing. Those who participate in our shelter program can work closely with a case manager to work toward these permanent opportunities.”

At the shelter, people experiencing homelessness will receive ongoing care, including three meals per day, onsite showers and restrooms and an outdoor area for pets as well as case management, screening for housing programs, referrals to year-round shelter programs, assistance obtaining identification and documents and connections to behavioral health resources.

Officials said this site was chosen because it had ample space and the needed features required to meet the operational needs of the shelter and was previously the site of a winter shelter several years ago. Before finalization, officials reached out to the surrounding community and key stakeholders to share the plan to open the shelter.

“We are confident this temporary emergency shelter will provide relief to some existing shelter program participants and others who may be seeking shelter in the next few weeks and months,” said First District Councilwoman Mary Zendejas. “The First District is proud to do our part and host this facility in the hopes of helping our unhoused neighbors find a pathway to permanent housing.”

While current plans for the shelter are for it to be temporary, officials said it could be considered for a permanent shelter facility in the future. Before any approval of future use past July 28, city officials said they would need to conduct a separate outreach process.

The temporary shelter will be operated by the nonprofit organization First to Serve Outreach Ministries and is funded by a mixture of city and county funds that cover the lease, operations, services, transportation and security services.

People currently sheltered at the Community Hospital site will receive priority for placement at the new shelter. Anyone looking to access emergency shelter services will need a referral from the Multi-Service Center or Mobile Access Center.