Matt O’Brien, a homeless advocate and writer who visits the tunnels twice a month, said Nattrour looked skinny; apparently casino trips prevented the 54-year-old from eating well. Mar 31, 2020 Clark County and City of Las Vegas officials issued a joint news release over the weekend about having to close a Catholic Charities shelter after a homeless person who was using the facility. Thousands of dollars that were supposed to support struggling veterans in Pierce County instead was spent in local casinos, withdrawn from casino ATM machines, and transferred into someone’s. The casinos are deserted and thousands of hotel rooms are empty. But when the city needed space for a temporary homeless shelter, officials chose an outdoor parking lot. A temporary shelter at a. Beneath Las Vegas’ Glittering Strip, Homeless People Live In Storm Tunnels In America’s gambling capital desperate people are seeking refuge in the network of tunnels running under the city. Smith Bridget Bennett for HuffPost.

ASHEVILLE - City government has signed off on using Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville as a shelter for about 50 people living in homelessness amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The initiative is a collaboration between the city of Asheville, Buncombe County, Homeward Bound and several other community partners. Homeward Bound's executive director Meredith Switzer told the Citizen Times that officials greenlit the project April 6. By late afternoon April 8, intake had already begun at the emergency shelter as men and women filed into the facility.

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'We found that our clients who are experiencing homelessness were incredibly fearful of getting sick and dying outside,' Switzer said. 'They were very excited (about the emergency shelter), especially those who are more vulnerable because of medical concerns.'

City spokeswoman Polly McDaniel said, 'Providing safe options for those in need of housing is a top priority during this public health emergency.'

Life at Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville

Both men and women will be housed in the emergency shelter, Switzer said. Mattresses lined two parallel hallways on either side of the main event space.

People sheltering at Harrah's will not be able to leave and reenter.

'They come in and they stay there,' Switzer said. 'We've got a plan for the next 30 days, but the reality is we don't know how long this is going to last.'

Before entering the facility, people were medically screened by volunteers with the Appalachian Mountain Community Health Center. Residents should expect daily check-ins on symptoms and can use outdoor spaces on the property, including a balcony.

Security will be present, and Homeward Bound staff will be on-site 24/7, Switzer added.

Who gets in?

The shelter will be able to house a maximum of 50 people as per health department recommendations and building code, said Nicole Brown, director of homeless services at Homeward Bound.

If a 51st person arrives seeking shelter, they'll need to come back daily to check to see if a bed has become available, Brown said.

The 50 people sheltering at the center were chosen on a first-come, first-serve basis, Switzer said, although 'there were some that we really wanted to make sure we saved some space for because of their vulnerability.'

For more than two weeks, major local emergency shelters have been locked down, with no new guests permitted entrance and anyone staying not allowed reentry if they leave.

Waiting in line to enter Harrah's on April 8 were Randall Salters and Jerry Cunningham. Both men said they've been shut out from shelters in the past weeks.

'I've been staying outside, anywhere I can,' Salters said.

Cunningham added with a nod toward Harrah's, 'With this virus going around, this is really good.'

FEMA to fund emergency housing statewide

Thus far, this emergency shelter isn't covered under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's cost-sharing program to shelter certain groups of people in 'non-congregate living,' including hotels, dorms and other appropriate facilities.

'As we continue to provide services and we need access to more funding streams, that may be something that comes into play,' Switzer said.

FEMA formally approved the program in North Carolina on April 7, as announced by NC director of emergency management Mike Sprayberry.

The federal government will reimburse the state 75% of eligible costs, Sprayberry said.

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Elizabeth Anne Brown is the trending news reporter for the Citizen Times. Reach her at eabrown@citizentimes.com, or follow her on Twitter @eabrown18.

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This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Coronavirus: Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville to shelter some of city's homeless