Office of Homeless Solutions activates Temporary Inclement Weather Shelters in anticipation of inclement weather

DALLAS – The Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) announced Thursday that OHS plans to activate Temporary Inclement Weather Shelter (TIWS) for Dec. 22 to 25 based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric forecast, in accordance with Chapter 45 of the City Code.

OHS and the City are excited to announce the designation of a new, primary TIWS site at 2929 S Hickory Street. This will be operated by Austin Street Center as the City’s external partner in the execution of TIWS activities by providing enhanced services during TIWS. In addition to this site, Oak Lawn United Methodist Church (UMC) and Warren United Methodist Church will be open. Should these shelters reach capacity, OHS will open an additional shelter at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library at 1515 Young St..

Oak Lawn UMC is at 3014 Oak Lawn Avenue and Warren United Methodist Church is at 3028 S. Malcom X Blvd. Intake hours at both locations are 5 to 9 p.m. Admission to Oak Lawn UMC and Warren UMC closes at 9 p.m. Any guests arriving at Oak Lawn UMC or Warren UMC after shelter intake hours will be directed to Austin Street Center at 2929 Hickory Street or the Central Library (depending upon if capacity has been reached), which will remain open for intake throughout the night.

“Due to the predicted severity of inclement weather, Dallas is grateful for the support of all our nonprofit partners allowing use of their facilities to provide emergency temporary inclement weather shelter for the most vulnerable in our community,” said Christine Crossley, Office of Homeless Solutions Director. “This is the continuation of a collaborative effort spanning two-and-a-half years of careful planning, reflection and systems building with our sister departments and area shelters to provide the best service possible for our unsheltered neighbors during extreme cold weather. OHS thanks Austin Street Center, Dallas Public Library, Dallas Fire Rescue, Office of Emergency Management, DPD, City Security, area shelters, service providers and temporary inclement weather providers for moving together to efficiently focus our collective efforts.”

In addition to the above mentioned TIWS sites, individuals experiencing homelessness are encouraged to seek shelter at any of the City’s existing overnight shelter provider locations, which can be found here. We also recognize that while best practice is to seek warm shelter, some individuals may refuse assistance. To help improve their chance of survival, cold weather packs will be available at recreational centers across the City and in bulk from OHS via [email protected].

For more information on how to Give Responsibly please visit dallashomelesssolutions.com