New Salinas homeless shelter shut down

A new homeless shelter in Salinas was shut down after the city red-tagged the building. The Friends Inside Summer Cooling Shelter closed a week after it opened.

The Salinas Homeless Union said the shelter was going to be used for homeless people to sleep overnight until the warming shelter reopens on November 1, 2017.

Union representatives said the community needs a shelter like this for those on the streets especially women and children.

On Thursday, Salinas code enforcement said the makeshift shelter was red-tagged because it wasn’t properly permitted and has electrical and structural issues.

Sr. code enforcement officer Lorenzo Sanchez said he plans to meet with the Salinas Homeless Union on Monday to discuss options for opening a new shelter.