Skip to content Skip to Content

SLO County seeking help in opening new warming centers for people experiencing homelessness

0:00/ 0:00LIVEQuality1  AudioSubtitleSpeedNormal  
Five Cities Warming Shelter
KEYT

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - San Luis Obispo County is seeking assistance in its effort to help establish new warming centers that will be used during times of need in three underserved communities.

"The County of San Luis Obispo currently has $500,000 available to be creating new warming centers throughout the areas that we don't currently have those services," said Suzie Freeman, San Luis Obispo County Homeless Services Division Communications Program Manager. "We're hoping to open new warming centers in Paso Robles, Atascadero and Morro Bay."

Warming centers are temporary shelters during periods of cold and/or wet weather intended to provide an overnight place of refuge for people who are unhoused.

"They open when it's expected to be 38 degrees or lower and/or 50% or higher chance of rain," said Katlynn Beatty. "San Luis Obispo County Homeless Services Division Program Manager. "As we know, it gets very cold up in North County. Currently there is a volunteer-run warming center, but it's not always able to open because they don't have enough volunteers, so we really want to put funding towards having something more permanent for people."

According to the county's most recent point in time count of unhoused individuals, which performed last 2024, it showed the highest need for warming center services is in North County and the North Coast region.

"We learned that there were 800 unsheltered folks currently living in San Luis Obispo County," said Freeman. "We've really looked at where people are currently experiencing homelessness, where do we have service gaps within our community, and that's where we're prioritizing this effort and trying to create more warming centers in those areas."

Currently, the county helps fund warming centers in two locations, in San Luis Obispo and the Five Cities, and now, is hoping to provide the same services to places where the overnight temperatures are often times extremely cold during the winter season.

"This is very important for our unhoused neighbors," said Beatty. "It's very dangerous being out there in the cold and wet conditions, and these areas, North County and the North Coast it's very dangerous. I was talking to someone that lives in North County. They said when they got in their car the other day and the temperature said 23 degrees, something like that. I feel terrible for people out there in the cold overnight."

To help run the warming centers when they are activated, the county is looking for a local group or organization to head up on-site operations.

"We're looking for any organization that has experience providing resources and services to those that are experiencing homelessness," said Freeman. "That could be a church group. It could be nonprofit organizations or even local cities. The county is looking to provide funding to different groups that are going to be running these warming centers so that they have, the ability to coordinate volunteers, maybe provide meals, rent the space that they need to make sure that they're able to consistently provide access to everyone that needs a safe place to go at night."

The county will be receiving applications from interested part through Feb. 26, 2025, at 3 p.m.

Afterwards, each applicant will go through a grant review process before the county makes a final decision on proposals.

"Warming centers will be starting around October," said Beatty. "That's when the cold season starts again, so starting around October of 2025 and we have enough funding to run all three of them for three seasons and potentially one more after."

For more information about the new San Luis Obispo County warming centers, which includes an online link to the application, click here.

Article Topic Follows: Community
homelessness
san luis obispo county
slo county
unhoused
warming center

Jump to comments ↓

Author Profile Photo

Dave Alley

Dave Alley is a reporter and anchor at News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Dave, click here.

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

News Channel 3-12 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.