Fund Shortage Shuts Van Nuys Shelter

A city-run homeless shelter in Van Nuys will not open again until this fall, despite the continued rainy weather, because of lack of funding, Los Angeles officials said Thursday.

The 150-bed shelter at the National Guard armory in the 17300 block of Victory Boulevard has been open on rainy and cold nights since November. The shelter was open continuously for 64 nights in December, January and February, program manager Precilla Ortiz said.

But the program, which received an extension in February, had to close April 1 because this year’s funding had run out, said Patricia Huff, coordinator of the city’s homeless programs.

If the rainy weather continues, Huff added, there is a chance that the City Council may be asked to allocate more money, but there is now no plan to do so. The entire budget for the wet weather program, which also included shelters in the Westside, San Pedro, South-Central and downtown Los Angeles, was $1.5 million, Ortiz said.

Agencies working with the homeless were advising those in need of emergency shelter or other services to call a joint city-county information telephone line at (800) 333-9997, or contact Better Valley Services, 8000 Laurel Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood, at (818) 767-1128).