Night shelter reaches capacity

Laguna Beach has begun turning away “nonlocal” homeless people from the Alternative Sleeping Location at the ACT V parking lot, according to Assistant City Manager John Pietig.

The shelter has been at or above its capacity of 50 for 27 of the 31 nights in January, Pietig said. On two nights, 60 people sought shelter there.

As a result, the city is now accommodating only homeless people who have ties to Laguna Beach, including having grown up or attended school here, having family in Laguna Beach, or a record of being homeless in Laguna for the previous 18 months.

People who do not fit the criteria are given one night’s lodging, a bus pass and information about one of several other emergency shelters in Orange County.

An emergency cold-weather shelter has recently opened up in San Juan Capistrano, operated by CapoBeachCalvary.

“Laguna Beach is doing what it can to try and help the homeless from this community,” Pietig said. “The community simply does not have the resources to assist homeless from other areas.”

Alternate accommodations are provided in Fullerton and Santa Ana on cold-weather nights.

The Laguna shelter operates seven nights a week.

Homeless from outside the area are also being encouraged to reconnect with family or friends, and transportation costs to their points of origin may be picked up through Project Homecoming.