City of Austin Activates Cold Weather Shelters on Sunday, Dec. 14

City of Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations (AHSO) will open overnight Cold Weather Shelters (CWS)

With temperatures forecasted to dip into the mid-30s late Sunday night, the City of Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations (AHSO) will open overnight Cold Weather Shelters (CWS) Sunday evening, Dec. 14, for individuals in need of a safe, warm place to reside. Families with children and unaccompanied minors seeking shelter during activation periods will be provided hotel lodging.

Registration for shelter will occur between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sunday at One Texas Center (OTC), 505 Barton Springs Road. This location will act as the central embarkation point for individuals seeking overnight shelter.

AHSO will also use its text alert system to notify nearly 5,000 subscribers about the cold weather shelter activation. Also, AHSO is requesting community partners who work directly with Austin's unsheltered population to spread awareness about the availability of CWS.

ASHO monitors weather conditions frequently and activates CWS when overnight temperatures at the National Weather Service's Camp Mabry location are forecasted to reach 35 degrees or below. AHSO makes an activation determination up to one day in advance of the shelter availability and no later than 9 a.m. of the day when shelter could be available.

How to Access a Cold Weather Shelter

Registration for shelter occurs between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at One Texas Center (OTC), 505 Barton Springs Road. Bus routes to OTC are lines: 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105, 801. Those seeking a cold-weather shelter without the means to pay the fare will still be given a ride. Community partners who work directly with Austin's unsheltered population are welcome to transport people to OTC.

CapMetro transports CWS clients from OTC to a shelter location. An after-hours embarkation service will also be available for those seeking transportation to a shelter outside of the embarkation period. AHSO does not publicize the CWS locations for operational and safety reasons.

While CWS are primarily accessed by people experiencing homelessness, they are available to anyone needing a warm place to spend the night. Individuals can get information about access and activation by calling the CWS Infoline at 512-972-5055.

Cold Weather Shelter guest guidance:

• Guests can bring their belongings as long as they can transport them to the OTC and onto a CapMetro Bus.
• Pets are allowed if they are not aggressive, can be around others, on a leash, and can sleep with their owners. If a pet needs a crate for the evening at the shelter, guests should inform staff at the OTC when registering.
• Meals will be provided.
• Women and couples can be at the same shelter but in a separate area, as capacity allows.
• Families with children and unaccompanied minors seeking shelter during activation periods will be provided hotel lodging.

The City does not list the locations of overnight CWS for various reasons, including managing capacity limits and privacy concerns. However, the City is publicizing the location of the embarkation point at 505 Barton Springs Road.

The public is encouraged to follow AustinTexas.gov/Alerts for emergency information updated in multiple languages.