With inclement weather expected, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority announced that the 2019-2020 Winter Shelter Program will start early.

Six emergency shelter locations opened this week for the 2019-2020 Winter Shelter season, offering 271 beds to temporarily house people experiencing homelessness. They include shelters in the local area at the Salvation Army, which offers 30 beds at 5941 Hollywood Blvd. The rest of LAHSA’s winter shelters will open throughout December. In total, the program will offer 1,232 beds at 16 locations throughout Los Angeles County through March 31.

“With serious winter weather impacting our community ahead of the launch date of the Winter Shelter Program, LAHSA, the city of Los Angeles and the county of Los Angeles saw it was necessary to open these shelters immediately to help as many of our most vulnerable residents as possible,” LAHSA Executive Director Peter Lynn said.

The Winter Shelter Program consists of numerous temporary emergency shelters that provide a warm place to sleep, food and access to supportive services and housing assistance. The county and city of Los Angeles provide LAHSA with funds to administer the Winter Shelter Program. LAHSA contracts with many nonprofit service providers to operate the emergency shelters. During the winter shelter season, each facility will open at 5 p.m. and close at 7 a.m., unless inclement weather conditions are forecast to last, in which case they stay open 24-hours. The winter shelters opening this week will operate on a 24-hour basis until the weather improves.

“I am so grateful to LAHSA, the county, and the city of Los Angeles for stepping up to bring people inside a warm and safe place for Thanksgiving,” said Sarah Dusseault, chair of the LAHSA Commission. “We have more to do, but this is wonderful news.”

All of the shelters opening early will accept walk-ins until Dec. 1, except the Salvation Army’s Hollywood site and Weingart, 566 S. San Pedro St., which will remain open as a walk-in site for the entire season. All other sites will offer transportation services starting on Dec. 1.

For information and list of winter shelters, visit lahsa.org.