Early cold weather snap triggers overflow shelter — and at a higher temperature

Temperatures seemed to skip the fall and head straight for winter — and that opened Metro’s emergency cold weather shelter for the first time of the season on Monday night. That was possible because the Continuum of Care Homelessness Planning Council raised the temperature threshold to open the facility.

Instead of opening when the temperature dips to 28 degrees, it is now opening at 32 degrees.

Cathy Jennings, chair of the shelter committee, says predicting shelter need is tough to anticipate.

“Last year … the Metro overflow shelter was open for 40 days. The year before, it was open for 19 … so you never really know,” Jennings says. “The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting cold weather this year, so we’re anticipating 40 days.”

She says this is the first time the city is beginning the winter with the new 32-degree protocol in place — and Monday’s shelter opening came earlier than expected. Normally winter shelters, like Room In The Inn, don’t begin until November, so she’s grateful for the work Metro put into shifting gears.

“They did hustle to get it open, two weeks before they typically open their cold weather shelters,” she says. “And 105 people had a warm bed.”

In addition, Harriet Wallace with Metro Social Services says the department is going to keep an eye on the change and “will monitor progress of this activation to assess the efficacy and feasibility of opening at 32 degrees.”

One new rule is that the temperature must stay at or below that 32-degree level for at least three consecutive hours before the shelter will open.

For more information on the shelter, including free transportation locations, visit ColdWeatherNashville.com.