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Committee notes emergency-shelter report; 211 and LAHSA report increased winter-season capacity
Summary
The committee noted and filed a report on the Emergency Management Department's extreme-weather-shelter planning. 211 LA said it expanded hotline staffing and LAHSA said it is opening a 125-bed Pacoima site.
The Housing and Homelessness Committee noted and filed a report from the Emergency Management Department on using emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness during extreme weather.
211 LA and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) briefed the committee on winter-shelter operations and emergency motel-voucher arrangements. Amy Lasser of 211 LA said the winter-shelter hotline added capacity for the season: staffing is now sized to have 20 people on the line during non-activation periods and the program can add up to 10 full-time equivalents during activations. "From November 1st through yesterday, we've handled 33,282 calls," Lasser said, and reported an abandonment rate near 29% and an average wait time of about nine minutes.
LAHSA said it is contracting for a 125-bed winter-shelter site in Pacoima to improve Valley coverage and that the agency has staff in the city emergency operations center for this activation. LAHSA also described "emergency response program" planning that bundles augmented winter shelters and year-round emergency voucher systems under a single operational framework.
Committee members pressed agencies on coordination, lead time for voucher extensions and the challenge of opening sites in the Valley and other neighborhoods quickly during sudden evacuations. One councilmember asked about using state armories; LAHSA said it has explored armories and noted the Sylmar armory now operates as a permanent interim housing site.
The committee voted to note and file the Emergency Management Department report and requested follow-up briefings about coordination, use of federal reimbursements and outreach to long-term rent-stabilized tenants in destroyed properties.
Ending: The committee characterized the discussion as a prompt to refine systems for quicker activation and better communication across city, county and community partners as the fire season and winter storm season approach.
