City Of Austin | City Of Austin website
City Of Austin | City Of Austin website
The City of Austin has announced that it will be opening overnight cold weather shelters on Friday, Dec. 29, to provide a warm place for individuals in need. Registration for the shelter will take place between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at One Texas Center (OTC), located at 505 Barton Springs Road.
In order to ensure that the information reaches those who require it most, the City has shared its plans with community partners who work directly with Austin's unsheltered population. Additionally, unsheltered individuals who are registered with the City's recently launched text alert system have been sent information directly.
The decision to activate the cold weather shelters is made by the Homeless Strategy Office, no later than 9 a.m. each day. They rely on National Weather Service (NWS) projections for the Camp Mabry Location. The NWS website provides access to these projections by entering the 78703 zip code. The criteria for activating the shelters include a forecast of 32 degrees or colder overnight, 35 degrees or colder overnight with precipitation, or 35 degrees or colder overnight with a wind chill of 32 or colder.
To access a cold weather shelter, individuals must register between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at One Texas Center (OTC). Bus routes to OTC include lines 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105, 142, and 801. The City has also partnered with CapMetro to provide transportation from OTC to the shelter location for those who do not have the means to pay the fare.
While the cold weather shelters are primarily intended for people experiencing homelessness, they are available to anyone in need of a warm place to spend the night. Information about access and activation can be obtained by calling the Cold Weather Shelter Hotline at 512-972-5055.
In order to manage capacity limits and privacy concerns, the City does not publicly list the specific locations of the shelters. However, they are publicizing the embarkation point, which is One Texas Center (OTC) at 505 Barton Springs Road.
Residents of Austin are encouraged to stay informed about emergency information by following austintexas.gov/alerts. This website provides updates in multiple languages to ensure that everyone is aware of important information.
The activation of the cold weather shelters demonstrates the City of Austin's commitment to ensuring the well-being of its residents, especially those who are most vulnerable. By providing a warm place to spend the night, the City is taking proactive measures to address the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness during cold weather conditions.
Click this link to access more information: https://www.austintexas.gov/news/city-austin-activates-cold-weather-shelters-friday-dec-29
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