Homeless Families to Be Sent to Special Shelters

When the weather gets cold this winter, homeless families on the Westside and in the San Fernando Valley will be directed to emergency shelters geared to serve families, rather than given motel room vouchers for a night’s lodging, officials said on Monday.

Centralizing the families will make it easier to provide services at a lower cost, while assuring children a comfortable, secure place to stay, the officials said. Officials from Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Los Angeles County announced the changes in this year’s cold weather program at a news conference in Venice.

Under an agreement between the three governmental bodies, who last year fought about who was responsible for cold-weather homeless care, single adults and couples without children will stay at National Guard armories in West Los Angeles, Culver City and Sylmar. The families will be accommodated at shelters scattered throughout the region.