Letter: Warm room thankful for community support

To the community,

Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless is pleased to announce that the warm room will move from Lake Tahoe Community Presbyterian Church to 1195 Rufus Allen Blvd., a property owned by the city of South Lake Tahoe, and begin operating out of that location at 7pm on the evening of Jan. 1.  The warm room is expected to operate out of the Rufus Allen location until it closes for the season on April 1, 2018. 

I would like to thank Pastor Bob Kelley and the congregation of Lake Tahoe Community Presbyterian Church for opening their doors to us during the holiday week, a time when many that live in hotels cannot afford high-season rates. I also would like to thank the city for leasing us the space on Rufus Allen, as well as residents and others who frequent the surrounding area for providing valuable feedback on how we can best operate in the area. Our goal is to be a great neighbor, and I think adjusting our operating hours, employing private security patrols, and maintaining a proactive, problem-solving approach will help us do that.

The warm room will be open from 7pm to 8:30am to provide shelter to those in need during its operating season. In addition to a safe and warm place to sleep, the warm room offers community resources including outreach from health and human services, outreach from the Department of Mental Health, information on Rapid Rehousing, substance abuse support groups, and support with career and education goals through collaboration with local agencies and organizations. 

Marissa Muscat, Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless executive director