Preparing for Winter Weather - Feb. 2022

Catherine Villarreal • Feb 02, 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.

Updated Thursday, Feb. 3 at 11 a.m.

For the latest updates

The Coalition will share information and resources on its Facebook and Twitter accounts as it becomes available.


Local Emergency Management Authorities

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

Jurisdiction Website
City of Houston https://houstonemergency.org/
City of Pasadena https://www.pasadenatx.gov/185/Emergency-Management
Harris County https://www.readyharris.org/
Montgomery County https://mctxoem.org/
Fort Bend County https://fbcoem.org/

For the latest forecast, visit https://spacecityweather.com/


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.


How does COVID complicate the situation?

  • Typically, during an extreme weather event, our established emergency (homeless) shelters would make room for more people to stay.
  • Because of COVID, our shelters have already had to reduce capacity to maintain social distancing.
  • In order to prevent the spread of COVID/outbreaks, many of our shelters will not be able to accommodate additional people that might need shelter from the cold.

I'm experiencing homelessness, and I need help.


Anyone in need of shelter should call 2-1-1 or the non-emergency line of their local law enforcement (e.g., police department or sheriff's office) and ask to be put in touch with the homeless outreach team.


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 Caybryn at csouthern [at] homelesshouston [dot] org.

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