City of Austin makes key changes to cold weather shelter operations

AUSTIN, Texas - This week, temperatures are expected to drop in Central Texas. The City of Austin said preparations are underway to open its cold weather shelters, but with some changes.

"The overall goal for these changes is to ensure that our cold weather shelter operations are easy for folks to access and folks to understand," says Homeless Strategy Officer David Gray.

During the winter months, frigid temperatures cause emergency shelters to activate in the city of Austin to keep residents warm.

The city says this year’s activation requirements have changed. Last year, temperatures had to be 32 degrees or colder, 35 degrees with rain, or 35 degrees with wind chill for the doors to open.

"Last year’s cold weather shelter thresholds were very complicated, very difficult for people to understand, because it was a tiered system. This year we raised the temperature threshold, and we flattened it, so it is a straight 35 degrees or lower," says Gray.

The city also says there are plans to activate the cold weather shelters in advance.

"Now we are making that call 24 hours in advance, and we are doing so, so that people in the community have more time to learn about the cold weather shelter opportunity, and they have more time to prepare," says Gray.

According to Gray, the decision to open the cold weather shelter is final, even if the weather changes. There will also be after-hour transportation services added.

"This year we are rolling out a new service, where people coming to One Texas Center after 8 p.m. will be able to take them from One Texas Center to the cold weather shelter location for free," he said.

The city says the cold weather shelters are offering more meals this year. There will be the traditional hot dinner at night along with breakfast or snacks the following morning.

"This year we have worked really closely with the Austin Area Urban League. They run the shelters on behalf of the city, we work with them and their food service operators to make sure that we have healthy and nutritious food options," says Gray.

People can get information about access and activation by calling the Cold Weather Shelter Hotline at (512)-972-5055.

You can also follow austintexas.gov/alerts for emergency information updated in multiple languages. 

To learn more about homelessness in Austin, click here.