Throughout the pandemic, health experts have been encouraging people to avoid indoor crowds that could spread the coronavirus. But for those without homes, a shelter full of strangers is one of the few warm places they can sleep.
As Austin officials prepare to open the city’s cold weather shelters tonight, they’ve been making plans to reduce the contagion risks.
“Some of the things that we usually do just aren’t advisable this year,” said Bryce Bencivengo, city of Austin spokesman. “In years past, our primary shelters were churches in the downtown area that were staffed with volunteers — predominantly retirees or those who are elderly. Obviously that’s not advisable.”
Instead, Austin will open some recreation centers as its primary shelters this year as temperatures are expected to dip into the 30s multiple times this week.
Masks will be required and provided, beds will be spaced farther apart, and people will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms at entrances. Those who might have the coronavirus will be taken to the city’s isolation facility — a local hotel where people with the coronavirus have opted to stay — and be tested for the virus, Bencivengo said.
The city has asked the news media not to publicize the addresses of the cold weather shelters because locations are subject to change, and officials do not want to send people to the wrong location.
Instead, city officials will ask organizations that regularly provide homeless resources — such as Front Steps, the Salvation Army, the city and county’s Homeless Outreach Street Team, and charities that provide free meals — to alert people about the shelters that are opening this week. Additionally, the city has provided cell phones to some individuals experiencing homelessness so that they can call for services if they’re needed.
Also, because the city opens cold weather shelters every year, “there’s a pretty robust word of mouth,” Bencivengo said.
Capital Metro buses always transport people to these shelters, and the way they do that this year will also be different.
“Normally we get as many people on a bus as we can, to make as few trips as possible and to make this as quick as possible,” Bencivengo said. “We can’t do that this year. Each bus ride is going to be socially distant, so it’s going to take more trips and it’s going to take longer.”
Officials are unsure how many people will arrive at cold weather shelters this year, Bencivengo said.
“We’ve been saying, ’Don’t congregate’ for nine months,” Bencivengo said. “So now, when we tell people to come and gather and get into a shelter, we don’t know what demand is going to look like. I think that’s the biggest question mark for us.”
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