The property is located in the city of La Puente and will be open until March 31.
Since December, the San Gabriel Valley area, east of Los Angeles, has the first homeless shelter open 24 hours a day.
The gym at Basset Park, located at 510 Vineland Ave., in La Puente, which serves the community for recreational activities throughout the year, this winter for a few weeks and until March 31, 2020 will be working as the Temporary home of almost 100 homeless.
"It is a pilot shelter that we are doing with beds, food, bathrooms, and without people having to leave during the day," said supervisor Hilda Solis, who represents the San Gabriel area.
The supervisor told La Opinión that so far the shelter has been a success in the homeless community and those who feel supported as they not only receive a sleeping roof – pets included – but once a week groups come to offer services and resources
"We have the health department offering flu vaccines, and if people are very sick they are referred to nearby clinics," said the supervisor. "There are also services such as haircuts, public defenders and the LA Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) that can tell you when you can visit a representative for your case."
The hostel hosts between 70 to 100 people per night, depending on the weather. It is estimated that around 70% of the homeless who arrive are men.
Solis said he already had the opportunity to interact with some of the lodgers from whom he has obtained vital information.
“Some have lived in the streets for years and suffer from serious mental illness. Most of them are locals and in the past they lived in San Gabriel and refused to leave the area, ”the supervisor added.
With the help of the shelter and the services that the county is providing, it is expected that by the end of this winter season a significant number of people will have a path to more permanent housing.
“We hope they get ahead. Many of them have health problems, but they are not criminals, ”said Supervisor Solís. "I have met widows who after their husband passed away had nowhere to go."
Solis said that it is very important to understand that this group they are currently serving is also part of the community and they are trying to reintegrate them into social life, depending on the abilities of each one.
The refuge is available for the first 100 people who arrive, although there are some that are established as they can stay there during the day.
There are also others who are already on their way to a more permanent solution.
Los Angeles County, in collaboration with LAHSA, is managing 16 temporary winter shelters, plus the 24-hour winter shelter.
For now, only the Basset park shelter is open 24 hours a day, the others are only open from 5 in the afternoon to 7 in the morning, with some exceptions during rainy days or very cold seasons.
To find out which shelter is closest to you, call 1-800-548-6047 or visit lahsa.org. Information in Spanish is available.
In order to be admitted to the shelter you must:
- Be over 18 and not have a home.
- Attend to your daily routine activities (for example– ability
to get on and off the bed, bathe, change your clothes) without help.
- When you need the hostel go to one of the indicated transport stops to be picked up and transported to one of the temporary shelters.
