When it’s this cold in Nashville, the city opens its emergency shelter. Metro has struggled to find someone to run it.

With freezing temperatures back in Nashville there’s an increased need for shelters to house people experiencing homelessness — particularly after recent concern over how the city-operated shelter is running.  

Temperatures dropped below freezing Saturday night, and likely won’t rise above freezing again until Wednesday or Thursday. The coldest temperatures are expected Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights, with the possibility of single-digit lows and subzero wind chills. That has the National Weather Service warning of the dangers of hypothermia.

Throughout the year, sheltering in Nashville primarily falls to non-profits and churches — like the Nashville Rescue Mission, the Room In the Inn and a network of volunteer sites. But when it gets really cold — specifically, when temperatures hit freezing or below for three consecutive hours or more — Metro steps in. The city’s operates an emergency overflow shelter on Brick Church Pike.  

The shelter is usually open overnight, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. This can leave people vulnerable during the day, especially if — in the case of harsh weather — libraries or other warm public places have closed.  

That was the case earlier this month, when Nashville’s public libraries and parks facilities closed due to snow on Jan. 10. The emergency shelter planned to open somewhat early that day — but the 4 p.m. time still left some without a place to go.  

According to Office of Homeless Services Director April Calvin, the shelter staff needs time to clean the building, sanitize cots and finalize meal preparation.  

In a social media exchange, Mayor Freddie O’Connell called attention to difficulties maintaining “security and staffing levels.”  

We could not maintain security and staffing levels to keep it operating continuously through the weekend, but we're trying to ensure that it can open early Fri-Sun.

— Freddie O’Connell (@freddieoconnell.bsky.social) 2025-01-10T15:45:52.566Z

During the snowstorm, the shelter looked to Metro employees (including the mayor and council members) to volunteer to stay open for longer. It was a resource that hundreds of people relied on. The shelter has averaged 211 people per night this season, and that jumped to a season-high 357 people on Jan. 10 following 4 inches of snowfall in the city.

One reason for the reliance on volunteers? Calvin says Metro hasn’t found a contractor interested in running the overflow shelter. 

“Two years in a row that RFP went out — fully funded, averaging about 40 nights of emergency sheltering with the building that’s attached,” Calvin said. “And there were zero takers.”  

Calvin says the city’s preference would be to have a community service provider running the shelter. After this winter, she says Metro will resume that search. 

The city has pledged to extend its shelter hours during the current cold snap. Officials planned for 24-hour availability Saturday and Sunday, with plans to monitor the weather and adjust hours as needed on additional days.

Courtesy National Weather Service Twitter

Dangerous cold is expected starting early Monday morning and continuing for several days.