North Austin News

The City of Austin has announced that it will be opening cold weather shelters starting this Saturday evening and running through at least Tuesday morning. The decision to activate these shelters comes in response to the frigid temperatures expected over the weekend and into early next week.

Registration for the shelters will take place between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. each evening at One Texas Center (OTC), located at 505 Barton Springs Road. This will serve as the central embarkation point for individuals seeking an overnight shelter. The City will also be sharing its plans with community partners who work directly with Austin’s unsheltered population and will be sending text alerts to those who are registered with the City's text alert system.

The Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) will be monitoring the situation closely and will determine when to activate the shelters based on National Weather Service (NWS) projections for the Camp Mabry Location. The criteria for activation 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. Due to the expected winter event with prolonged extreme temperatures, City leaders have decided to proactively keep the shelters open from Saturday evening through Tuesday morning.

Accessing a cold weather shelter is simple. Registration will take place at One Texas Center (OTC) between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. and bus routes to OTC are available, including lines 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105, 142, and 801. CapMetro partners with the City to provide transportation from OTC to the shelter locations. The shelters are primarily intended for people experiencing homelessness but are available to anyone needing a warm place to spend the night. Individuals can find information about access and activation by calling the Cold Weather Shelter Hotline at 512-972-5055.

While the City does not list the specific locations of the shelters for various reasons, including managing capacity limits and privacy concerns, they are publicizing the location of the embarkation point at OTC, which will serve as a central hub for those seeking shelter.

In order to stay informed about emergency information, it is recommended to visit austintexas.gov/alerts, where updates are available in multiple languages.

As the City of Austin prepares for the upcoming cold weather, it is prioritizing the safety and well-being of its residents, particularly those who are most vulnerable. By providing access to cold weather shelters, the City aims to ensure that everyone has a warm and secure place to stay during the extreme temperatures expected this weekend and early next week.