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Commissioners announce West Run Road as primary warming shelter; partners offer backup and transport support
Summary
Commissioners said Oct. 8 they reached consensus to use a facility on West Run Road as the county’s primary warming shelter this winter, with Hazel’s House of Hope/MCR and Catholic Charities supporting the plan and offering a backup facility and volunteer transportation if needed.
Commissioners announced at their Oct. 8 meeting that the county has a primary plan for a warming shelter this winter, identifying a facility on West Run Road as the first option. Commissioners said the site requires some renovations to meet accessibility needs but that stakeholders have agreed to prioritize it.
The board said MCR (the board that runs Hazel’s House of Hope) supports use of the West Run Road facility and that Catholic Charities and the Coalition in Homelessness have been working with county staff and city members to finalize logistics. Commissioners said MCR has also offered an alternative backup site if renovations prevent the West Run Road location from opening in time.
Commissioners noted operational considerations: the West Run facility already has day and night staff, reducing the need to hire new overnight personnel; volunteers have stepped forward to assist with transportation in cold-weather activations; and Mountain Line staff and city partners have discussed route/accessibility questions. One commissioner said, “we do have a plan going forward on a warming shelter prior to a day before it’s gonna be 2 degrees.”
The commission did not set firm opening dates or funding levels at the meeting; staff and partner organizations will finalize renovations, transportation arrangements and any necessary service agreements before the shelter opens.
