An armory in Sylmar owned by the U.S. National Guard is being considered for use as a year-round, emergency shelter for homeless people in the San Fernando Valley.

Los Angeles County supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Kathryn Barger asked in a joint motion introduced Tuesday to look into how much it would cost to lease the armory from the National Guard and make repairs to it. The goal is to use the building as a crisis housing facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week all year around, and to provide social services to help people find permanent housing. Transportation and storage unit costs also would be considered.

Currently, the armory, which sits near hills close to Foothill Boulevard, opens only in the evenings during the winter months, usually from Dec. 1 to March 1.

“These services assist individuals to quickly move into permanent housing as well as access the full range of treatment and services they require,” Kuehl and Barger wrote in their joint motion, which was unanimously approved by the board. “Crisis housing should also provide storage for belongings, parking for individuals with vehicles, and accommodations for individuals with pets. The Sylmar Armory is an ideal facility for such crisis housing.”

A report on the costs is expected to be presented in 45 days.

The San Fernando Valley’s homeless population grew to 7,335, in 2016, up 35 percent from 2015, according to a count overseen by LAHSA, the largest increase in Los Angeles County. Of those, most live in the districts overseen by Kuehl and Barger.

Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission operates the Sylmar armory winter shelter with funding provided by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, an independent agency established by the county and city of Los Angeles. The shelter’s 170 beds are almost always full, especially in this rainy season, said Hope of the Valley president Ken Craft.

San Fernando Valley residents who spoke at the board meeting Tuesday, including those from two neighborhood councils, were in support of the proposal.

Ann Job, who sits on the homeless committee for the Sylmar Neighborhood Council, thanked supervisors for considering the plan for the armory.

“The Sylmar Armory is an ideal facility for such crisis housing,” Job told the Board. “We the Neighborhood Council are honored to partner with you and address this with compassion. We are committed to continue to partner with you, to solve homelessness. It can be done. It must be done.”

The Rev. Sandra Richards of the First United Methodist Congregation in the city of San Fernando, agreed.

“We are deeply concerned about homelessness in our area, particularly with the bad weather,” she said. “We also want wrap around services to take place in this Armory.”

Craft, of Hope of the Valley, said he is pleased with the support by residents.

“Different neighborhoods have different responses,” Craft said. “It has been refreshing that the Sylmar Neighborhood Council has been supportive and advocating for it. They see the need and want to see the solution.”

Supervisor Janice Hahn said she plans to introduce a similar motion soon that asks county officials to look into other facilities across the region, to see if other such facilities could become year-round emergency shelters for the homeless.