Austin activates cold weather shelters as temperatures drop

AUSTIN – The City of Austin activated its Cold Weather Shelters (CWS) program Sunday as forecasters predicted overnight temperatures to drop into the mid-30s.

The activation, managed by the Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations (AHSO), offers a safe and warm place for individuals needing shelter from the cold.

Austin Cold Weather Shelters

What we know:

Registration for the overnight shelter will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at One Texas Center (OTC), 505 Barton Springs Road. This location will serve as the central embarkation point, where CapMetro buses will transport registered guests to undisclosed shelter locations.

Families with children and unaccompanied minors seeking shelter will be provided with hotel lodging instead of placement in the general shelter facility.

What they’re saying:

“AHSO 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,” the city said in a statement.

Access and Operations

• Registration: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at One Texas Center (OTC), 505 Barton Springs Road.
• Transportation: CapMetro is providing rides to OTC via routes 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105, and 801. Individuals without means to pay the fare will still be transported. Community partners are also encouraged to bring people to OTC.
• After-Hours Service: An after-hours service will be available for those seeking transportation to a shelter outside of the main registration period.
• Confidential Locations: Shelter locations are not publicized by the city due to operational and safety concerns, including capacity management and privacy.

Guest Guidelines and Outreach

The shelters are available to anyone needing a warm place for the night, though they are primarily accessed by people experiencing homelessness.

• Meals will be provided to all guests.
• Pets are allowed if they are non-aggressive, leashed, can be around others, and can sleep with their owners. Guests needing a crate for their pet should inform staff at OTC during registration.
• Belongings are permitted as long as guests can transport them onto a CapMetro bus.
• Women and couples will be housed in separate areas within the same shelter, as capacity permits.

AHSO has deployed its text alert system to notify nearly 5,000 subscribers and is urging community partners who work with the unsheltered population to spread awareness of the activation.

What you can do:

Individuals can call the CWS Infoline at 512-972-5055 for information about access and activation.