“It’s the economic situation — foreclosure, unemployment,” Bales said. “I think it’s just the start.”
With an annual budget of more than $19 million, the Union Rescue Mission runs four winter shelters, but resources are quickly waning.
“We could use all the help we could get, especially with our vouchers being used for hotels. We’ll soon be out of vouchers and having to use donations to put families in hotels,” Bales said.
The shelter, housed in the National Guard Armory, takes only single men and women, while families are diverted to hotels in the area. About three families have been placed in hotel rooms through the program as of this week. Hotel vouchers are distributed through the Los Angeles Housing Authority.
“It’s a sign of the times.” Bales said. “It’s the worst it’s been in my 23 years of working in the area of homeless.”
In addition to finding hotels for families in need, organizers are also looking for a temporary shelter to house residents when the National Guard conducts training at the armory in January and February.
About 40 residents at the Burbank winter shelter were relocated over the weekend to facilitate National Guard training exercises. The relocation was only temporary, and residents returned Monday to Burbank, but some residents ended up being displaced when they decided not to move.
Originally, residents were scheduled to be sheltered in the Burbank Salvation Army during the training exercises. At the last minute, guests were bused to the Union Rescue Mission’s downtown Los Angeles shelter.
Some residents were upset by the change and decided not to stay at the alternative location in the downtown shelter’s gym, said Gale Madyun, program director of the Burbank winter shelter.
