Where will thousands of people experiencing homelessness in Austin go during winter freeze?

Serena Lin, Austin American-Statesman
Updated ·4 min read
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Edward Butler, who is homeless, gets a donated blanket at the Trinity Center on Thursday in anticipation of the arctic blast. The city of Austin plans to operate emergency shelters, but some advocates are concerned about accessibility and the registration process.
Edward Butler, who is homeless, gets a donated blanket at the Trinity Center on Thursday in anticipation of the arctic blast. The city of Austin plans to operate emergency shelters, but some advocates are concerned about accessibility and the registration process.

Jennifer Farr, 26, usually sleeps under a bridge, where it can become very windy. On a recent night, she had to chase her blanket when it was blown into the street. Even when temperatures do not dip low enough to trigger the city's emergency shelters, it can be bitterly cold at night.

“Sometimes at night, I cry because of how cold it is,” Farr said Thursday.

Farr is one of thousands of people experiencing homelessness in Austin who were bracing for the freezing temperatures this weekend.

The American-Statesman spoke to people experiencing homelessness at day centers downtown, where community members gather to get hot meals and pick up clothing and blankets. Many people said they plan to ride out the cold snap at one of the city’s cold weather shelters.

Texas freeze tips: How to stay safe and avoid the ER during Austin's cold weather

In anticipation of the severe weather, the city of Austin was set to operate emergency shelters from Saturday evening through Tuesday morning, according to a city news release. They will remain open throughout the day, rather than just overnight.

Registration for the city’s emergency shelters will take place between 5 and 8 p.m. at One Texas Center downtown.

The total capacity is 300, said Chrisola Webb, a spokesperson for the city's Homeless Strategy Office, but shelter space will be expanded “as needed.”

More: Austin, Travis County leaders advise residents to prepare for arctic cold front. What to know.

Edward Hebert, who is homeless, puts on his knit cap at the Trinity Center. The capacity of 300 at the city's shelters is thousands below the estimated homeless population in the area.
Edward Hebert, who is homeless, puts on his knit cap at the Trinity Center. The capacity of 300 at the city's shelters is thousands below the estimated homeless population in the area.

Sasha Rose, organizing director of Austin Mutual Aid, worried about the accessibility of the emergency shelters given the limited time frame and location of registration.

“It doesn’t make sense to just have one central embarkation location,” Rose said. “I’m concerned that the majority of people on the streets are not going to access the public shelter system.”

Cold weather shelters' 300-person capacity accounts for only a small portion of the number of people probably experiencing homelessness in and around the city. The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition estimated that 6,000 people were experiencing homelessness in Austin or Travis County in October 2023.

On Tuesday, 112 people used the cold weather shelters, according to Webb.

Service providers who spoke to the Statesman said that having just one downtown meeting point might make it difficult for everyone who wants to take shelter to do so. After Austin voters reinstated the city’s camping ban in 2021, service providers have observed that many people experiencing homelessness have dispersed from the city center.

More: Why has power in Austin-area gone out in past winter storms and will it happen again?

Janelle Collier, a volunteer at the clothing closet at Central Presbyterian Church, gathers blankets Thursday. The Cold Weather Collaborative organizes the collection and distribution of cold weather gear and hot meals.
Janelle Collier, a volunteer at the clothing closet at Central Presbyterian Church, gathers blankets Thursday. The Cold Weather Collaborative organizes the collection and distribution of cold weather gear and hot meals.

Aja Guyton, a program manager at Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center, said more people would use cold weather shelters if there were more places to register around the city.

"We understand the concerns. Unfortunately, there are many complex logistical challenges in identifying a location that has adequate space and accessibility for this type of effort," city spokesperson Jenny LaCoste-Caputo said in an email to the Statesman. "We continue to explore options to assist as many people as possible."

Not everyone with whom the Statesman spoke knew that freezing temperatures were coming.

Graciela Frias, 76, didn’t know how cold it is expected to be this week. She is now hoping there will still be a bed for her at the new women’s shelter on Eighth Street.

People experiencing homelessness often become resources for one another, sharing information about shelter availability and warming centers.

“We look out for one another,” said Edward Butler, 56, who spoke to the Statesman at the Trinity Center.

The city has publicized a way to sign up, at bit.ly/alertsatx, for a text alert system designated for people experiencing homelessness, though it might have limitations in reaching a population that doesn't always have access to a phone or internet.

Benjamin Gordon, who is homeless, talks about the cold weather at Central Presbyterian Church on Thursday. People experiencing homelessness often become resources for one another, sharing information about shelter availability and warming centers.
Benjamin Gordon, who is homeless, talks about the cold weather at Central Presbyterian Church on Thursday. People experiencing homelessness often become resources for one another, sharing information about shelter availability and warming centers.

How you can help people experiencing homelessness

Guyton helps coordinate the Cold Weather Collaborative, a coalition of organizations that work with people experiencing homelessness. She said that the collaborative "fills a gap in need" during severe inclement weather.

The collaborative organizes the collection and distribution of cold weather gear and hot meals. Volunteers also go out into the community to perform wellness checks and spread information about cold weather shelters.

The group is asking for:

  • Gloves

  • Heavy coats

  • Handwarmers

  • Blankets, including electric ones

  • Hats

  • Pants

  • Sleeping bags

  • First-aid kits

  • Nonperishable food items

  • Water

Donations will be collected at these days, times and locations:

  • 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Tuesday at 4430 Menchaca Road

  • 9 a.m. to 5p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at 8401 N. Interstate 35

  • 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Monday at 1189 Springdale Road

The Cold Weather Collaborative is also accepting monetary donations online at austinwinter24.funraise.org.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Where will Austin's homeless community go during winter freeze?