City Searching For Location For New Bad Weather Shelter

The City is currently searching for new locations for a Bad Weather Shelter for homeless people during cold winter weather.

Nonprofit Friends In Deed was forced to shift from its former Shelter for the last two years years due to COVID-19 and social distancing protocols which limited the number of people able to use the shelter.

“Two years ago, the Bad Weather Shelter lost its lease,” said Housing Director Bill Huang. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, motel vouchers have been used since then to provide shelter for our unhoused neighbors on the coldest and rainiest nights of the year. The City is working with the Bad Weather Shelter operator to identify a new site for the upcoming winter season. We are looking for property owners who are potentially interested in renting out their space to be used as the new Bad Weather Shelter location.”

Friends In Deed began offering the Bad Weather Shelter in 1988 after a man experiencing homelessness died from sleeping outside on a bus bench during freezing weather. The nonprofit stepped forward to offer a reprieve from inclement weather for the unhoused members of the local community. 

For over 30 years, the shelter was held at Pasadena Covenant Church on Lake Avenue, but when the pandemic hit, Friends In Deed had to pivot to accommodate local precautions like social distancing.

At that time, Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater told Pasadena Now the main challenge was there was no way to quarantine anyone if they came in and were sick.

The shelter typically operates on any day of the week when the weather was forecast to be colder than 40 degrees or more than 40% chance of rain.

The city has compiled a document for potential property owners interested in working with the city. 

“This RFI [request for information] seeks to gather information from property owners, landlords, non-profit and community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations, which are interested in renting out their large site(s) to be used as a winter shelter location during the upcoming winter season (est. December 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023),” according to the document. “The location will be used as a temporary congregate shelter and compensation will be provided.”

The shelter will continue to be operated by Friends In Deed.

“As a low-barrier shelter, there are no service participation or sobriety requirements, and overnight guests are allowed entry as long as they follow shelter rules which include no violence,

weapons, or drugs or alcohol use on-site,” according to the document.

Hours of operation are typically from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. with lineup beginning on-site at 7 p.m. 

Friends In Deed will provide overnight staff who will be on site at all times when the shelter is open, including security. 

Staff typically consist of local homeless service providers who have existing relationships with many of the overnight guests. 

Volunteer groups will prepare dinner in an on-site kitchen or cater meals for guests and assist program staff with set-up. Cots, linens and other program supplies will be stored on site during the months the shelter is open. Cots, tables, and chairs can be put into on-site storage each morning if necessary. 

The shelter will follow all local Public Health Department and CDC guidance for congregate shelter operations and will reduce overnight capacity significantly if necessary to allow for appropriate spacing of cots.