The Antelope Valley Times

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Lancaster emergency shelter to remain open year-round

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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to keep a 24-hour shelter in the  Antelope Valley open through the end of October.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger recommended keeping the 93-bed shelter open at the High Desert Multi-Ambulatory Care Center in Lancaster.

“Not only is this (MACC) facility providing immediate respite from extreme weather 24-hours a day, seven days a week, but it is also providing critical bridge housing resources to assist individuals in permanently exiting cycles of homelessness,” her motion reads. [View the motion here.]

The Salvation Army has operated the temporary shelter out of two buildings at the outpatient medical center since November, as part of the county’s winter shelter program. The county opened a second temporary shelter at the Lancaster National Guard Armory, which will remain open through March 31.

Temperatures in the desert climate can be equally threatening in summer as in winter and the number of homeless individuals in the Antelope Valley has grown dramatically, by 50 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to a point-in-time count by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

The estimated 4,559 homeless people in the region have had limited options since the privately-run Lancaster Community Shelter shut down in the summer of 2017, citing a lack of funding. It was the only drop-in shelter in the region at that time.

Supervisor Ridley-Thomas co-authored the motion, which allows the MACC shelter to continue to operate on a temporary basis, avoiding some of the regulation that would be involved if it were a permanent shelter.

Funding will come from Measure H, the quarter-cent county sales tax increase that took effect in October.

Lancaster residents voted down a 2016 ballot measure to fund a larger, permanent shelter through a local parcel tax, with only 34 percent of voters in favor.

However, the city has approved plans for permanent supportive housing at 32nd Street West and Avenue I, a development known as Kensington Campus. A spokesman for Barger said the project will include permanent supportive housing units, as well as interim and crisis housing, with a tentative completion date of April 2019.

The motion was unanimously approved by the board.

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Filed Under: Lancaster

38 comments for "Lancaster emergency shelter to remain open year-round"

  1. This article and the comments surrounding it show just how short the attention span and curiosity of people is. The lancaster homeless shelter was shut down on purpose. The stated reason being cost. The real reason, la county passed a measure a while ago about money for homeless services. LA County as they usually do, made plans and left the AV out of the plans. Only way to get our slice of the pie? Close the shelter staffed by volunteers due to cost. Start screaming we have a crisis in your district Supervisor Barger and voila we get some money.

  2. Thank you Salvation Army, and all that are involved! The Salvation Army helps so many with community services, and I know they helped me out of homelessness. I now have a home, and give back what was given to me. I am thankful for those that help others without judging.

  3. The Salvation Army is absolutely wonderful! So many people have been helped through their selfless community services. I was helped out of homelessness by the Salvation Army, and what they did for me set me on the right path. I am now a woman that has a safe place to live, and I give back what was given to me. Thank you for this, and all that are involved.

  4. … is it an “emergency” shelter? Or, is it a homeless shelter? An emergency shelter is intended, for all of us. A whole ‘nother thing entirely, a homeless shelter is merely a euphemism, for more free stuff, for the Mexicans –

    • Take your racist comments over to the Antelope Valley Voice on Facebook. They will welcome you with open arms and closed minds.

    • It’s a 24 hour shelter, meaning it is intended for crisis use when weather conditions can lead to fatalities among the homeless. But of course this factual answer falls outside of your “woe is me I’m having to pay some pennies to keep other humans from dying, it’s just so unfair to me!” narrative.

      You and your ilk disgust me.

    • The sanctuary state of California is more loyal to Mexico, than the United States of America. California’s policy community are more loyal to the Mexicans than they are, American citizens. They maintain these sanctuary city “shelters” to leak enrichment to the Hispanic community, in return for votes.

  5. Everyone blaming Lancaster for the shelter closing down after 25 yrs, but no other jurisdictions were doing anything to help the unfortunate, theres no shelter in palmdale, santa Clarita, rosamond, mojave! You cant just blame one city that has taken on the burden of a whole region, when this is a regional issue, i blame all cities & especially the county dumping people in the A.V. now trying to cover there butts

    • Lancaster is a burden on the entire area. They ruined unincorporated Quartz Hill by approving a Super Walmart across the street from QHHS. Their moronic mayor sued Santa Clarita and Palndalefir voting districts they refuse to implement themselves. They destroyed the rural lifestyle, desert ecosystem and the health of the Antelope Acres community with the proliferation of solar projects.

      Lancaster constantly interjects itself into other’s dealings without being asked or wanted.

      Trump should build a wall around Rex’s Lancaster and spare us all from the interference and lunacy.

      • ^^^ Outstanding message, AV Observer. Outstanding.

        This is the clearest explanation of what Lancaster is and does to its neighbors.

        Bravo!

      • @AV Observer…If Trump built a wall around Lancaster, then there would be NO access to the shelter that is available to all in the Antelope Valley, along with many other services provided for the poor and homeless by others in all parts of the Antelope Valley. Believe this commenters; many churches and our Muslim friends, along with other organizations, rise above the Rex Parris issue and give selflessly to other human beings less fortunate.

        • Credit where credit is due, many citizens and organizations in Lancaster would be sorely missed. However, responsibility also must fall where it is due. The blight that spreads from Lancaster’s City Hall is in fact the responsibility of those same citizens. Failing to even make an effort to clean up that pit of corruption is difficult to excuse.

          That said, I freely admit that my own effort to clean up that corruption was short lived and I opted instead to just leave. That too is a viable solution.

          • @Tim Scott…I, as well opted to leave, but I as well as others freely travel between both cities and beyond to help those less fortunate. The poor and homeless aren’t thinking about Rex Parris and his cronies. They are thinking about how they will feed their families or find a roof, or even the most basic of needs which is cleanliness. The citizens that either didn’t vote (11.2%), or those that voted (4th term for Rex), are responsible for what takes place on a daily basis in Lancaster. The poor and homeless still need help, and options available to them to motivate them to take the steps necessary.

          • Those that give selflessly aren’t looking for credit where credit is due. This is about those less fortunate that need help without judging. Many travel freely between Lancaster, Palmdale, and surrounding areas to give of their time and resources, without letting corruption in Lancaster, Palmdale, or any other place get in the way. those that are hungry and need the very basics in life, aren’t caught up with the mindset of who is corrupt and who isn’t. It is not about the daily complaints on this or any other forum of the corruption in Lancaster and Palmdale. This article is about a shelter, and we are grateful for it wherever it is in the A.V.

          • There are many poor and homeless in Palmdale, Lancaster, and all over the Antelope Valley. We freely travel to all cities and outlying areas to give help and resources to all. It isn’t about credit where credit is due. So many that give selflessly that go beyond the daily attacks on corrupt politicians in both cities. This article is about the much needed shelter that is for all in the A.V. As a matter of fact, the homeless and poor are throughout all of California, not just Lancaster and this blight you keep talking about.

        • Maybe if there was a wall around Lancaster, the people would finally realize what an incompetent and corrupt system they have running the show and rise up to get rid of them.

          True, there are many great people and organizations in Lancaster, but many of them have enabled Rex, Frank, and Jim Gilly for far too long. Enlightenment and reformation needs to come to Lancaster.

          • Well, when only 11.2% of the people of Lancaster voted, then the people of Lancaster get the politicians they deserve. That being said, there will always be those full of compassion and motivated to go beyond the corrupt politicians in Lancaster and Palmdale, to provide services for those poor and homeless; many with children. Helping without judging why our fellow man is in this hopeless situation, and providing hope. Whether in Lancaster, Palmdale, or other areas. So all the commenters on here can keep bringing up Rex and his cronies, or The corrupt politicians in Palmdale, while others actually put in the time to help both cities and surrounding areas.

  6. Thank you LA County Board of Supervisors for this compassionate vote and the funding. The morons at the Antelope Valley Voice are under the illusion that this is funded by Rex’s Lancaster. Lancaster’s shelter was shuttered in 21017. Rex’s personal funding began and stopped at his $10,000 offer to “send the homeless people home”.

    LA County is funding this. Well done, LA County.

      • This is the only way we can save the BLVD. The homeless and panhandlers have overrun it. The mayor’s wife herself won’t go there and she even has a permit to carry a firearm. The BLVD must be saved.

        • Sorry. The blvd is beyond saving. They’ve been ‘saving’ it since it was turned into the blvd.

          What’s rex’s next brilliant idea gonna be?

          A buggy whip factory?

          An Edsel dealership?

          Beard trimming supply store?

          Turning BS into electricity?

          • ^ Now THAT is funny, Sleepless in Lancaster. I just spit up my coffee on my tablet. It was worth it.

          • Rex’s BS is pretty obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people believe Him. Many of them go to Lancaster Baptist or the other political churches that he and Raj screwed with the pot grows. For the most part, they are well meaning people who have been duped. The rest are just plain stupid, like Marv.

          • For sure Marv is dumb. But let’s not forget his Palmdale counterpart Hoffbauer. He’s no rocket scientist himself.

          • Lancaster wasn’t going anywhere in the late 80s building boom. Palmdale was the more desirable place for commuters and business. Then the AV Mall opened and it was over for Lancaster.

            When rex was elected, everything that has happened was predicable, special favors for his friends and mean, petty statements about rivals. And, the bragging and boasting.

          • The Blvd was doing fine during 8 years of obamanation. I wonder why it changed? Did “Hope” leave and spite came when osama (I mean obama) left the white house? Or is there no more gravy trains to jump on?

  7. That graphic your news team picked is for a hurricane evacuation shelter.
    I know because I lived in Florida for 4 yrs.