How emergency shelters plan to keep state’s homeless out of the cold
As temperatures tip lower and lower, emergency shelters are opening their doors, making room and providing a safe haven for those stuck out in the cold.
Since November, more than 1,000 people throughout the state have sought emergency shelter. More than 360 of them were previously unsheltered, according to data from the state’s Coordinated Access Network.
“Shelter really does truly save lives, particularly in the winter,” said Michele Conderino, the executive director of Open Doors in Norwalk. “It’s such a critical service.”
Winter began Dec. 21, signaling the start of below freezing temperatures that could harm anyone left out in the elements for too long. Emergency shelters are ready to provide a place of refuge for Connecticut’s homeless. And though the pandemic has done a lot of damage, it has also inadvertently made it easier for shelters to accept more people when they need it most.
Shelters typically see an uptick in clients during the winter. From November 2018 to April 2019, emergency shelters saw 400 more entering clients than in the spring and summer period, or May through October 2019. From November 2019 through April 2020, there was again an uptick — 430 more entering clients, according to state data.
“People definitely come in when it is colder out,” Conderino said. “All of us survive, right? Some of us have more resources to do that than others. I have seen people have very pretty expansive camps and really feel like they’re able to meet their needs outside, but when the temperatures drop significantly, people will come in.”
“We’re just happy to be able to provide them a safe place, and if we can convince them to stay, even better,” she added.
Winter changes
During the winter months, shelter staff are on-call 24/7. Especially when a snow storm is in the forecast, typically shelter staff stay the night to help, according to Jessica Kubicki, the director of programs for Supportive Housing Works.
“Our capacity to address the need increases,” Kubicki said, whose organization serves western Connecticut, including all of Fairfield County. “We want to make sure that with the outside elements we’re addressing somebody as quickly as possible.”
For most of the year, if someone is stuck on the streets of Connecticut, unsheltered and looking for a place to stay, they need to call 211 to get placed in an emergency shelter. Most shelters don’t accept walk-ins.
In the winter, “That goes away,” Conderino said.
“We don’t want people to freeze to death outside,” Conderino said, adding that it is a real “possibility if people are outside and unprepared.”
The state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said it would be difficult to get an accurate number of how many people experiencing homelessness have died in the cold. However, the office doesn’t see too many deaths caused by hypothermia — maybe a handful a year — and those also typically involve dementia or drug/alcohol abuse.
Open Doors has 50 beds year round — half of its usual capacity due to the pandemic. It also used to have 15 overflow beds for those walking in on frigid nights.
The pandemic did have a silver lining for emergency shelters, though. COVID allowed for homeless providers to use something they hadn’t before: Hotels.
The state started using federal FEMA funds to help shelters pay for these hotels when the pandemic first hit. The state also provides additional funding to organizations for staff, food and personal protective equipment.
Conderino said shelters will be able to use these hotels through at least March 2022.
Now, Open Doors, as well as Stamford-based Pacific House and others, use spare hotel rooms to provide shelter for residents close to finding stable, permanent housing. This opens up a few beds for newcomers.
“If somebody comes in and it’s really inclement weather, we don’t turn them away and we will certainly keep them for the night until we figure out what we’re going to do the next day,” said Rafael Pagan, the executive director of Pacific House. “We always have a backup to the backup plan. We make sure that no one is left out.”
Importance of outreach
But no matter how low the temperature gets, there are still people who refuse to take shelter.
In December 2020, despite the temperature getting as low as 30 degrees on average each night, 24 people who attended their appointments with a Coordinated Access Network specialist from 211 still refused shelter, according to data from the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness.
This is why outreach workers who go out and build relationships with people experiencing homelessness are so important.
“Outreach has become a critical point in our system,” Kubicki said.
Open Doors in Norwalk launched its outreach effort in June 2020. Conderino’s outreach specialists meet people where they’re staying — by a train station, at an encampment in the woods — and try to keep them safe while they stay outside.
Ultimately, though, these outreach specialists respect their clients and their decisions.
Pagan said outreach efforts could take months or even a few years before a person accepts help. Some of this can be attributed to the prevalence of mental health issues in the unsheltered community.
Homeless providers have also been focusing on preventing homelessness in the first place.
Through the 211 system, callers will get an appointment with a specialist who can put them in an emergency shelter or on a wait list for housing.
These specialists can also help people on the verge of homelessness, or couch surfing, find stable shelter. This could include staying with a relative, going into supportive housing or sharing an apartment with a few others, which Pagan says makes housing “a lot more accessible, especially to people who are on a limited income.”
The specialists can also connect people with services and financial assistance to keep them afloat. “It’s transformative,” Pagan said. Anyone who needs shelter or housing, utility assistance, food or other services should call 211. Resources can also be found by searching through www.211CT.org.