Members of the Emergency Response and Shelter Operations (ERSO) Committee gathered for public feedback on their draft of the 2016-2017 Winter Plan. However, the meeting proceeded similarly to a team review of the draft, as only three members of the public attended.
The Winter Plan is the city’s annual plan to provide shelter to the homeless during a hypothermia alert, which is triggered when the forecasted temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit with precipitation.
ERSO, a committee under the Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), agreed they would have to confirm with partnering agencies to clarify the situations appropriate for calling the Shelter Hotline and Mobile Crisis Service so that responders would not be overwhelmed by calls that should have been directed to a different agency.
Additionally, ERSO members considered deleting the 1-800 Shelter Hotline number, in favor of directing all calls to a local 202 phone number. However, the committee did not reach a final decision.
ICH executive director Kristy Greenwalt reported that during the 2014-2015 winter season, 45 percent of the 151 days during hypothermia season warranted hypothermia alerts. She noted that this number was unusual; in past years approximately 70 percent of winter season days typically triggered hypothermia alerts.
Nechama Masliansky of So Others Might Eat (SOME) noted that the accuracy of needed shelter service estimates had improved in recent years.
ERSO will review the Winter Plan draft again on August 24 at 1 p.m. at the Department of Human Services office, 64 New York Avenue NE. This will be the final meeting before the committee presents the Winter Plan to ICH for approval on September 13 at 1 p.m. at a location that is to be determined.
