Cold-Weather Shelter Program Begins Today

The city’s yearly program to provide emergency shelter to the homeless during cold weather begins today and will run through Feb. 1, city officials announced Wednesday.

Bob Vilmer, Los Angeles homeless coordinator, said temporary shelters in armories and elsewhere will open every night that the temperature drops below 40 degrees. He also said that this year shelters will be opened every night during the traditionally coldest winter period from mid-November through mid-January.

In addition, the city has worked out a plan with federal officials that will for the first time provide separate shelter to families with children who in the past sometimes had to be housed with single, homeless men.