Homeless Shelter in Jeopardy

The opening of a homeless shelter in Oxnard for the winter is in serious jeopardy because state officials have not given a local social services agency permission to use the National Guard armory, county officials said.

The past two winters, the armory on South K Street was used to house 80 to 100 homeless people each night.

However, the shelter may not open this year because state National Guard officials have refused to provide the security at the shelter, and the county Public Social Services Agency does not have the money to hire private security guards, said agency manager Eleanor Evans.

Evans said she is not sure why the National Guard has refused to take responsibility for security. She said she hopes state officials will reverse their decision. National Guard officials did not return phone calls Thursday.

In past years, the governor’s office has issued a declaration stating that when night temperatures drop below 40 degrees, or 50 degrees when it is raining, National Guard armories can be used to provide emergency shelter for the homeless.

The declaration usually covers the months of November through March.

Evans said her agency had already made arrangements to have the local chapter of the American Red Cross operate the armory shelter.