Overflow facility will be open Friday evening through Tuesday morning to provide safe shelter for community members in need during dangerous cold spell.

The City of Boulder, in partnership with Boulder County and the Boulder Office of Disaster Management, will open a temporary 24-hour emergency warming center to ensure all community members seeking shelter have a space to get warm or spend the night through the holiday weekend.

This extraordinary measure is being taken in coordination with more typical severe weather protocols because of forecasts that show below-zero temperatures and wind chills.

“We have been monitoring the weather throughout the week and given the forecast shift to temperatures below zero for several days with wind chills as low as –15 degrees, our unsheltered neighbors are at a significant risk. To protect as many lives as possible, we are opening an emergency warming shelter,” said Kurt Firnhaber, director of Housing and Human Services. “My heartfelt appreciation goes out to our local partner organizations, and city and county colleagues for their collective efforts in providing this crucial resource to our community.”

The Boulder Shelter for the Homeless (BSH) will be open for critical weather nights starting at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11, through Monday, Jan. 15. The shelter will also remain open all day on Saturday, Jan. 13 through Monday, Jan. 15 for those who stay overnight. BSH will monitor the forecast to determine if additional days or nights qualify as critical weather and will expand services as needed.

The city and county overflow warming center will be set up in the Age Well wing of the East Boulder Community Center, 5660 Sioux Drive, and operate from Friday evening through Tuesday morning.

Community members in need of safe shelter are asked to take the following steps:

  1. Go to the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless (BSH), located at 4869 Broadway. Even if you typically do not meet criteria to use BSH, you must check in here first. If BSH reaches capacity or it is determined you will be housed at the emergency warming center, you will be provided free transportation to the overflow facility at the East Age Well Center.
  2. The following alternative sheltering options are also available for specific populations:
    1. Haven Ridge for persons identifying as women, transgender or nonbinary. Learn more on the Haven Ridge website or call 303-447-9602.
    2. TGTHR’s The Source for homeless youth. Youth drop-in will be open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily for ages 24 and under. Learn more on TGTHR’s website or call 303-447-1207.

City staff and partner organizations have been conducting direct outreach throughout the week to people experiencing homelessness to ensure all individuals are aware of the upcoming cold weather and available services.

The East Boulder Community Center (EBCC) will remain open for normally scheduled hours during this time, with recreation activities occurring as normal, but the Age Well wing will be dedicated to shelter needs. The East Age Well Center will close as usual at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12, and remain closed through Sunday, Jan. 21, to allow for clean-up and full restoration of services. Staff members are working to cancel or reschedule upcoming programs that will be impacted by this closure. Contact Age Well staff at 303-441-3148 for more information.

For more information about EBCC hours and any service modifications, please visit the city’s website.

For more information about Homelessness Services in the City of Boulder, visit the city’s website. Information about staying safe in cold weather is available on the city’s website.

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