New shelter for homeless families opens in Mesa

MESA, Ariz. (AP) - A new shelter to serve homeless families is open in Mesa.

The La Mesita Family Homeless Shelter has 16 furnished one- and two-bedroom units to provide families with places to stay for up to 120 days. It also provides employment assistance, financial literacy classes, computer training, counseling and after-school programming.

The city of Mesa was among numerous public, private and nonprofit organizations that helped providing funding for the family shelter operated by Mesa-based A New Leaf.

An earlier phase in the project turned an old motel into 80 apartments to provide affordable housing. The third phase will include 30 additional housing units for the chronically homeless.