Long Beach looks to open more shelter after homeless person dies in severe storm

Long Beach has decided to cancel plans to open another winter shelter despite one homeless person dying from exposure last weekend. 

"That's not acceptable, we have to do more — all of our city, all of our communities — to open up the doors to make sure that people can get out of the exposure," said Mayor Rex Richardson. 

Richardson said the city has one winter shelter with 81 beds that is at capacity nightly. However, on Tuesday, the city decided to nix plans to open another winter shelter at Silverado Park Gym in West Long Beach after residents like Tony Bell spoke up. 

"This is the only park gym that this entire part of town has," said Bell. "It's taking away from the seniors, from the teens, from the kids across the street at the school." 

However, residents also recognize that unhoused individuals are in dire need of help.

"Helping unhoused individuals find a place to stay, especially during the winter months, is an absolute priority," said resident David Garcia. "But, unfortunately, at this time, this particular location is serving a great purpose and it shouldn't be taken from the community."

Homeless advocate Christine Berry, who runs Ashlee's Homeless Fund, since the storms started last week she has helped 13 people find shelter and a bed to sleep in. She agreed that Silverado Gym was not the right location for an emergency shelter, but said the city has many empty spaces and believes they weren't prepared to keep the unhoused safe from the storm. 

"Long Beach has always stepped forward with winter shelter and we did so this year as well," said Richardson. "As we know there is significant demand and we are not yet out of the storm. We are going to continue to look for opportunities for warming and for shelter through these particularly cold winter months."

The city did open up more beds at the Long Beach Multi-Service Center, however, this is not a permanent solution as beds are taken down and put up daily.

Long Beach has also opened a temporary shelter which will close by the end of the week.