Preparing for a Deep Freeze

Catherine Villarreal • Dec 19, 2022

We will use this page to post and share information about upcoming winter weather and resources for people experiencing homelessness as it becomes available.

The Coalition for the Homeless as lead agency to The Way Home Continuum of Care (CoC) is working with local governmental entities to advocate on behalf of people experiencing homelessness to ensure their needs are being considered as winter weather affects our region.

We will make frequent updates as we receive information. Please check back often for the latest information.

Last update: 12/23/22 at 2:45 p.m.

Warming centers and other resources

City of Houston Warming Centers

Mayor Sylvester Turner has asked the Office of Emergency Management to open five warming centers in preparation for freezing temperatures expected to arrive in Houston Thursday afternoon. Each center will offer chairs, blankets, water, MREs, PPE, and comfort kits. Because the City is not opening shelters, sleeping cots and hot meals will not be provided. Individuals may come and go as needed.

Individuals in need of transportation may call 311.

The following locations will open beginning Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022 at 3 p.m.

Fonde Community Center 110 Sabine St, Houston, TX 77007
Moody Community Center 3725 Fulton St, Houston, TX 77009
Acres Homes MSC 6719 W Montgomery Rd, Houston, TX 77091
*Recovery Center (for HPD use only) 150 N Chenevert St, Houston, TX 77002
George R. Brown Convention Center, Hall B 1001 Avenida De Las Americas

The city is not encouraging individuals to bring pets. However, BARC will provide kennels at the Fonde Center and GRB. Service animals will be welcomed at all locations.

December 23 update: For greater efficiency of operations and to ensure vulnerable Houstonians are protected from the bitter cold, Mayor Sylvester Turner has asked the Office of Emergency Management to consolidate services and extend hours at the city's warming centers.

Fonde Community Center and Moody Community Center will close at noon Saturday, December 24. Acres Homes MSC and GRB Convention Center, Hall B will remain open until 9 a.m., Sunday, December 25. Working in partnership with METRO, all individuals remaining at Fonde and Moody on Saturday will be taken to the GRB, where they may remain until Sunday. (Read the full announcement here.)

Other resources

Green House International Church will be operating a warming center. 200 W Greens Rd, Houston, TX 77067. https://www.ghic.net/
The Beacon will open at 5:30 a.m. Friday. 1212 Prairie St, Houston, TX 77002 https://www.beaconhomeless.org/.

Hours of operation throughout the weekend will be: Thursday, 12/22: 7 am - 2 pm; Friday, 12/23: 5:30 am - 12:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday 12/24 and 12/25: closed, Monday, 12/26: 7 am - 2 pm.

Lakewood Church is open as a warming center. 3700 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77027 https://www.lakewoodchurch.com/
Covenant House's drop-in center is open to anyone (ages 18-24) who needs shelter. 3412 Beulah St, Houston, TX 77004. https://www.covenanthousetx.org/
The City Wide Club’s “SUPER FEAST” will be Christmas Eve Day (Saturday, Dec. 24) at the George R. Brown Convention Center. 1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston, TX 77010. https://citywideclub.com/43rd-annual-super-feast/
Bay Area Homeless Services is a shelter that will be accepting people throughout the freeze on a first-come, first-served basis. 3406 Wisconsin Street, Baytown TX 77520, 281-837-1654, https://bahs-shelter.org/
Baytown Community Center will operate as a warming center. 2407 Market Street, Baytown, TX 77502, 281-420-6597, https://baytown.org/878/Baytown-Community-Center

Fort Bend County Warming Centers:

Friends of North Rosenberg/Attack Poverty will operate as a warming center, Thursday, December 22 from 5:00 pm - 8:30 am. 1908 Avenue E. Rosenberg, TX 77471. Transportation will not be provided to and from the location. https://www.instagram.com/attackpoverty/

Montgomery County Warming Centers:

Montgomery City Hall will operate as a warming center from Friday, December 23 at 10:00 am - Saturday, December 24 at 6:00 pm. 101 Old Plantersville Road, Montgomery, TX 77316.

Local Emergency Management Authorities

For information about whether local jurisdictions will be opening warming centers.

Jurisdiction	Website	Twitter (for latest updates)
City of Houston	https://houstonemergency.org/	https://twitter.com/HoustonOEM
City of Pasadena	https://www.pasadenatx.gov/185/Emergency-Management	https://twitter.com/pasadenatxgov
Harris County	https://www.readyharris.org/	https://twitter.com/readyharris
Montgomery County	https://mctxoem.org/	https://twitter.com/MCOEM
Fort Bend County	https://fbcoem.org/	https://twitter.com/fbcoem

For the latest forecast, visit https://www.weather.gov/hgx/

Winter Weather Q&A

What is the homeless response system doing to prepare for the upcoming winter weather?

The Coalition for the Homeless is working with local government agencies, including the City of Houston and Harris County, as well as partner agencies of The Way Home Continuum of Care to ensure that people living unsheltered (on the streets) are informed about and protected from upcoming winter weather.
Outreach teams — the front-line staff who interact with people living unsheltered (i.e., on the streets or in encampments) — have been spreading the word that we are likely to be hit by winter weather this week and have been handing out cold weather supplies and offering rides to shelter when possible.

I would like to help.

To Donate

The Coalition for the Homeless serves as an administrative agency, providing leadership and coordination to local direct service providers.

Please consider supporting our work to help us respond to crises and solve homelessness in our community.

For Local Homeless Response Agencies

Operations Updates

If you would like us to include information on this page about your agency's operations during the winter weather, please send that information to Catherine at cvillarreal [at] homelesshouston.org and Sara at smartinez@homelesshouston.org.