Southeast / Long Beach : Homeless Shelter Is Shut

A Long Beach homeless shelter is in search of a home itself after a dispute with the church that housed it for 18 years has forced it to close its doors.

Centro Shalom opened in 1977, offering food distribution, social service referrals and, most recently, a homeless shelter at its headquarters in the Latin America United Methodist Church.

But the church, under new leadership, wants to change the focus of its ministry, and Centro Shalom has been left out of its plan.

Church officials asked Centro Shalom to begin paying rent as an outside entity, something the shelter found impossible to do on a donation-based budget of $50,000 a year.

Centro Shalom closed its doors last Friday, relocating those housed there to other shelters. Now, founder Olivia Herrera and the South Coast Ecumenical Council, which oversees the center, are seeking donations of space.

Herrera says the shelter was vital because it was one of few local social services targeting the Latino community. Her back yard, which is adjacent to the church, still overflows with needy people looking for help.

“They all know me, and know that I know where to send them,” she said. “Other shelters are not as familiar with the customs of these people as we are.”