Long Beach City Council Approves $8.6 Million Shelter Renovation

The Long Beach City Council approved an $8.6 million contract on Tuesday to renovate one of the city’s four homeless shelters, expanding the year-round facility at 702 W. Anaheim St. from 85 beds to 126. The city purchased the 106-year-old building from the Long Beach Rescue Mission in 2023 for $7.2 million and has since completed $399,000 in roof repairs. Under the new contract, crews will install an HVAC system, replacing the building’s existing heater, using a $500,000 state grant and $400,000 from the Port earmarked for energy efficiency.

The renovation will include the installation of 16 showers, with 10 designated for men and six for women, replacing the temporary trailers previously used in the back lot. In the sleeping area, currently an open space with lines of cots, workers will install dividers between beds for privacy and partitions for areas intended for couples or those needing gender-affirming privacy. Additional construction will build out a new family room, a multipurpose lounge, new entrance ramps, and a reconfigured parking lot.

City officials state that the renovations are necessary to address persistently high demand, citing a count of 3,729 homeless people in January, which represents a 3.7% increase from the prior year and the second consecutive annual rise. The number of people staying in shelters or interim housing increased from 989 to 1,141 in the latest tally. Paul Duncan, director of the city’s Homelessness Bureau, noted that occupancy at the shelter has run between 85% and 95% over the past six months, with many nights reaching capacity.

During the renovation period, the city will utilize a warehouse at 1827 E. Spring St. for sheltering residents. Long Beach purchased this site earlier this year for the police department to eventually use as a storage facility for a new crime lab. The warehouse can accommodate 81 beds and is located near public transit. Before the move, the city plans to spend approximately $100,000 on upgrades to the site, including a fire alarm system, a permanent perimeter fence, and a rented shower trailer.

Work on the warehouse is scheduled to begin this fall, with renovations at the main shelter starting in late 2026 and planned for completion before the end of the following year. The Police Department has given the city one year to finish the project, and Duncan stated that a delay past December 2027 would interfere with the department’s move, noting that no backup plan has yet been outlined if work runs over the deadline.

Within the next two years, the city intends to secure funding to add a dining hall with a warming kitchen, a laundry room, and kennel space for pets. These improvements aim to support the dignity and basic needs of residents, reflecting a commitment to care for vulnerable neighbors as image-bearers. As the community addresses housing insecurity, the practical work of providing shelter, hygiene, and privacy aligns with the biblical call to show mercy to those in need, as seen in Matthew 25:35 and Isaiah 58:7.

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