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Short on staff, Livingston warming shelter is unable to open

HDRC

Livingston’s overnight shelter will did not open Tuesday night as planned because of a lack of staff.

The Human Resource Development Council, which operates the emergency shelter, says it’s “actively seeking” applicants for several positions.

“We have experienced staffing shortages since [COVID] occurred," Jenna Huey, HRDC’s Emergency Shelter Services Manager, said in a statement. "This year has been especially difficult for us."

Until Livingston’s season shelter opens, HRDC officials say people in need of a warm place to stay will have to either sleep outside, or travel to Bozeman to stay in the year-round shelter there.

"It is distressing to know there are people out there who need a place to stay, and we can’t provide it to them, especially with the change in weather we are experiencing," Huey said.

HRDC Housing Director Bryan Guyer said in the statement the Livingston shelter provided housing for 12 to 20 people per night last year during the coldest month of the year.

"We know our luck is running short with the mild fall temperatures we’ve enjoyed this year," he said. "It is imperative that we get our shelter open in Livingston as soon as possible."

Nadya joined Yellowstone Public Radio as news director in October 2021. Before coming to YPR, she spent six years as digital news editor/reporter for the NPR affiliate in Wichita, Kansas, where her work earned several Kansas Association of Broadcasters awards and a regional Edward R. Murrow award for Excellence in Social Media. Originally from Texas, Nadya has lived and worked in Colorado, Illinois, Washington, D.C.; and North Dakota. She lives in Billings with her cat, Dragon, and dog, Trooper, and enjoys hiking, crocheting, and traveling as often as possible.