In the basic pyramid of human needs, shelter is right at the bottom. It is a building block of who we are and how we protect ourselves, our families and our societies.

In the past two years, homelessness in and around Los Angeles has gone up by 12 percent, driven largely by unemployment, high rents and low wages. The city council recently passed controversial ordinances to crack down on street encampments. 

Marketplace Weekend visited the Downtown Women’s shelter this week in L.A.’s Skid Row, where a lot of homeless people gather. The center offers help with housing and daytime drop-in programs. Lizzie O’Leary spoke with Amy Turk, the chief programs officer there, to find out what it’s like to run a shelter.