(Homeless person in Los Angeles/Photo courtesy of cc101 Productions

Just last week, the Los Angeles Times reported that four people died on the streets from near-freezing temperatures in Northern California.

It is estimated that 57,000 people are homeless in L.A. County each night, with 43,000 (75 percent) lacking any shelter option. The numbers have risen nearly 15 percent in the last two years. 

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority began their annual Winter Shelter Program December 1 to provide additional shelter to people living on the streets during the cold, wet winter months. 

The program, which has been in place for two decades, provides 1,491 extra beds every year in shelters throughout L.A. County. They also offer hot meals and other services for L.A.'s homeless population.

In the winter, with temperatures in the 30s and 40s at night and with increased rainfall, there is an even greater need for shelters to keep the homeless population safe.

Despite the rising demand, LAHSA Communications Director George McQuade is confident in the program’s success and the shelters’ ability to provide for those seeking services.

“Sometimes they get crowded,” he said. “But the shelters have extra supplies and cots just in case.”

This year, the program will also help its clients enroll in medical and mental health coverage, as provided by the new Affordable Care Act. 

“That’s really cool and that’s probably the newest thing and the best thing,” McQuade said.

McQuade says that the cost of a person living on the street amounts to $1,500 per year, which is much more than it costs to provide them with services to help them attain a job and permanent housing. 

LAHSA hopes that by helping clients enroll in healthcare, they will be in a better position to get off the streets.

“This is an annual LAHSA program that operates during the coldest and wettest months of the year,” LAHSA Commission Chair Larry Adamson said in an official statement. “The sites offer people experiencing homelessness temporary overnight shelter, meals and help connecting to supportive services and stable housing.” 

According to the organization, the Winter Shelter Program was able to serve 7,711 homeless people last year. 

The program consists of 16 locations and 46 pickup points from December 1 through March 14. Those in need of additional help can call the number 211 or visit the LAHSA website.

LAHSA is partnering with 12 local nonprofits to make this program possible, and aims to meet the immediate needs of homeless clients while also providing support to help them in the long term.

Shelters will be open daily from 5pm-7am. In addition to a bed and two hot meals each day, clients will have access to housing assistance and other support services.

Los Angeles is not the only city to offer these services. Washington, D.C. started a similar program after the Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005. The D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) then put together an annual Winter Plan to aid those living on the streets. It offers similar shelter and transportation services during “hypothermia season,” the period between November 1 and March 31 when temperatures often dip below freezing.

Additionally, they have a Hypothermia Hotline, a number that anyone can call – homeless or not – to request help for someone out on the streets during a hypothermia alert. 

Although winter in L.A. is not as harsh, offering adequate shelter options for homeless people is still crucial, especially with an increase in demand.

While a recent report published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) stated that the national homeless population has declined since 2010, this has not been the case for L.A. County. 

Organizations in California reported that the number of homeless people in California grew by 3,895 people, a 2.9 percent increase.

In an interview with KPCC, Natalie Komuro, executive director of Glendale shelter Ascensia, said “Seven people died on the streets in Glendale since last year. And we know they were winter shelter clients. When the program ended, they didn’t have anywhere to go.”

Reach reporter Hayley Burgess here