2020 COLD WEATHER PLAN ADDRESSES A SECOND EMERGENCY

BY HANNAH HERNER

The city’s cold weather shelter plan this year is overflow shelters on top of overflow shelters.

It centers around The Fairgrounds shelter, which is managed by the Office of Emergency Management. The Fairgrounds shelter was originally formed as an emergency shelter for COVID-19 and overflow for Nashville Rescue Mission as they lowered their capacity in an effort to obey social distancing rules. The first emergency was the pandemic, but in the approaching months, yet another threat of emergency will arrive for people experiencing homelessness.

Each year, at least one person in Nashville dies from exposure to the cold.

Each winter since 2016, the city of Nashville has released a different cold weather shelter plan for those experiencing homelessness. From Nov. 1 until March 31, the city operates under a community-wide plan that is a bit different than the usual shelter operations. And on the coldest nights, when the temperature is below 28 degrees Fahrenheit, an emergency plan will be activated.

Capacity changes

Due to the pandemic, the Nashville Rescue Mission men’s campus’ typical capacity of 574 shrank to 300, and the women’s campus went from a capacity of 313 to 150.

Since March, The Fairgrounds Nashville shelter has maintained enough room for 200 people on the “well” side and 250 on the “sick” side. The Municipal Auditorium has been serving as overflow for the Nashville Rescue Mission women’s campus and can accommodate 175. Both of these shelters require screening at the Rescue Mission’s campuses first. As of now, neither location will be directly accessible on a typical day or night with temperatures above 28 degrees. On those nights when it is below 28 degrees, an additional 300 spaces will open at the Fairgrounds, and both men and women can access that directly.

For reference, the Point-in-Time count found 2,016 people in shelters or staying on the streets in Nashville in January.

Barriers lowered

Two barriers that might keep people from seeking shelter to begin with is the fact that shelters in Nashville typically do not typically allow dogs, and they separate men and women. Beginning Dec. 1, Nashville Rescue Mission will be allowing pets in supplied kennels. Up until then, they will be abiding by their typical dog policy, which is only to allow service animals. During the entire cold weather season, Nashville Rescue Mission will allow all who have been barred for nonviolent offenses to come in for shelter as well.

The Fairgrounds Nashville will also be allowing pets inside of the emergency shelter when it activates, but do not currently allow animals in the shelter.

While Nashville Rescue Mission will continue separating by sex, the cold weather emergency shelter at the Fairgrounds will allow couples to stay together on the coldest nights. These decisions made by the area shelters and Metro fare well compared to last year’s plan, says Lindsey Krinks, homeless advocate and co-founder of nonprofit Open Table Nashville.

“Our outreach team is so glad to see that Metro’s overflow shelter will be at the Fairgrounds this year and not at a former detention facility as it was last year,” she wrote via email. “So many of the people we work with refused to go to what they felt like was a jail last year. We’re also glad to see that the Mission is open to accepting pets at their men and women’s facility as they did last year. It is a best practice across the country to provide low barrier, trauma-informed shelter options, and any step we can take in that direction as a city has the chance to both save and transform lives.”

New challenges

Taking the hardest hit to its model is Room In The Inn. The organization will be operating on just a quarter of the normal capacity when they kick off the annual winter sheltering program. They will also only be taking men this year. The nonprofit uses a model where they partner with area congregations and bus people experiencing homelessness in to spend the night there. The highest number of beds arranged for the month of November is a total of 63, as compared to a typical 250 to 300 beds available each night last year.

Executive director Rachel Hester hopes to see that number grow as the season goes on. She wants to keep the congregations engaged as much as possible, and to start, regulars at the organization’s day shelter services will have priority.

“We have to ease into this and do it well, because every week that I do it right, I have potentially another congregation willing to step up and add additional numbers to their group or join,” Hester says. “Many of those congregations have stepped back because they cannot wrap their head around how to offer ministry in the building when they can’t even worship in their space.”

In an effort to bump up the number sheltered, the organization has pivoted to hosting two shelter spaces within their own buildings, and the Catholic congregations are hosting some people in the underutilized St. Vincent de Paul gym, Hester says.

Open Table Nashville’s typical role is to canvas the streets on cold nights and help people get transported to shelters if they desire, or equip them with supplies to survive the night on the street. Because of the pandemic, that will look different this year.

“We are having to reexamine everything and put new safety protocols in place,” Krinks says. “Instead of canvassing in the evenings across the city, our outreach workers will work to provide supplies and support during the days and then we’ll have some pick-up spots for shelters in the evenings. We are still planning to canvass the downtown corridor in the evenings because it is the area with the highest concentration of people who stay out.”

The plan is different this year, as it has been every year since 2016. But the city and homeless service providers know the need, which could only be rising with the effects of COVID-19. Because of the vulnerability of those experiencing homelessness, the emergencies pile up.

To read the full plan visit coldweathernashville.com. The status of the cold weather shelter is announced each day by 9 a.m. at coldweathernashville.com or by calling 615-862-6391. SHELTER OPTIONS

ROOM IN THE INN

705 Drexel Street 615-251-7019

NASHVILLE RESCUE MISSION - WOMEN’S CAMPUS

For women, single and with children 639 Lafayette St. 615-255-2475

NASHVILLE RESCUE MISSION - MEN’S CAMPUS

639 Lafayette St. 615-255-2475

FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN

SAFE HAVEN FAMILY SHELTER

Call Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 615-862-6444

YOUTH

Age 18-24

LAUNCHPAD

Must call first 615-375-6274

Age 13-17

OASIS CENTER

hotline: 615-327-4455

DAY SHELTER

COMMUNITY CARE FELLOWSHIP

511 South 8th Street M-F 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

ROOM IN THE INN

Everyday 6 a.m. - 2 p.m.