An arctic cold snap will keep things frigid for the next several days in central and northern New York. For people who work with the homeless, that means finding someplace warm for anyone to go who needs help.
"We do have some expanded sheltering rules during this period known as 'Cold Blue'," said Megan Stuart, Executive Director of the Housing and Homeless Coalition of Central New York. "So shelter options kind of open up anytime it's below 32 degrees, allowing folks to come inside who might not otherwise come in."
Stuart says the group’s homeless response team will try to get as many people inside as possible.
"The colder it gets, the more increased health risks we have, and that's really what we're watching for," she said. "A lot of the folks sleeping outside are obviously much more prone to frostbite, exposure, any negative impact of sleeping outside."
Stuart said if past counts hold true, there could be more than 50 people sleeping outside at this time of year in HHC's service area, which covers Onondaga, Oswego and Cayuga counties. But she said there could be another positive to more people coming in from the cold.
"You think about the people who sleep outside in the wintertime," Stuart said. "It's not by choice. There's something keeping them out there. So when it is this cold, we do hope folks take that opportunity to come inside, engage with the people trying to help and get them connected into at least a bed for the night."
The Housing and Homeless Coalition will be conducting its annual Point in Time count of the homeless population on Wednesday, January 28 from 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. Anyone who would like to volunteer can register here.
