During the recent storms in Long Beach, the city's Multi-Service Center was providing overnight shelter to the unhoused community from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. each night, and was consistently reaching capacity.
Located in West Long Beach, the Multi-Service Center provides support to homeless individuals and provides a wide range of resources and assistance. During cold or wet weather, the facility turns over overnight to provide beds for homeless children who may not have another place to sleep rough.
The shelter was in high demand as Long Beach was hit by a series of rainstorms recently. Long Beach is expected to receive between 2 and 5 inches of rain in total this week, with more rain expected Monday.
During recent storms, the shelter was full every night, according to Jennifer Rice Epstein, spokeswoman for the Long Beach Health Department.
“It was constantly filling up,” Rice-Epstein said. “Because it is a temporary shelter, the same people may or may not come back every day.”
The shelter is expected to remain open this week through Thursday morning due to the forecast weather.
Even when a shelter reaches maximum capacity, staff at the center coordinate with the county and other local shelters to help find a safe space for homeless individuals to stay during extreme weather conditions. It's not clear how many people were turned away from the multi-service center.
“This weather is terrible for people sleeping outside, so we're trying to do everything we can to keep people safe during this specific type of weather condition,” Rice-Epstein said.
The shelter will continue to operate during nights with expected severe weather conditions, such as temperatures of 45 degrees or below, a flood watch or warning issued by the National Weather Service, or expected rainfall or storms exceeding light rain.
“The best thing the public can do is be aware. Watch your neighbors, if you see someone who looks like they might need service, reach out to them,” Rice-Epstein said.
The shelter is located at 1301 W 12th St. For more information, visit their website here or call 562-570-4500 to check bed availability.
