Families overwhelm shelters

Despite innovative efforts by the city, county and nonprofit agencies to help keep homeless families off the streets, officials at rescue missions and winter shelters in Los Angeles County said Thursday their facilities are being overwhelmed by homeless families.Troy
Anderson in the Daily News.

Andy Bales, president of the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles, said the number of homeless families staying at the mission has tripled to 45 over this time last year. At his winter shelters in Burbank, West Los Angeles, Culver City and downtown, Bales saw more families in the first three days this year than the entire winter last year. The shelters are open Dec. 1 to March 15.

Driven by home foreclosures, evictions and rising unemployment, Bales said he's never seen as many homeless families seeking help before.