As Boulder County’s homeless service providers continue to adjust to the realities of the new coronavirus outbreak, Boulder’s severe weather homeless shelter will remain open every night through the end of April. That change of course will prevent the facility from returning to opening based on temperature forecast triggers as previously scheduled to begin Wednesday.
The announcement came Friday via a public email from Boulder Housing and Human Services Director Kurt Firnhaber to City Council and community members, and follows the removal of 50 beds last week from the city’s homeless shelter resources that accommodated proper social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus among shelter occupants.
“The collaboration and willingness of our partners to make adjustments has been critical. As we make these adjustments, we are looking through a lens of public health and safety,” Firnhaber said.
Changes were also made to the day sheltering schedules at the severe weather shelter, 2691 30th St., so it will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to allow access to hand washing and bathroom facilities, and limited shower availability. Shelter operator Bridge House will also be conducting an additional thorough cleaning daily to ensure the daytime service is as free as possible from the virus.
Additionally, severe weather shelter check-in is to stop at 9 p.m. nightly to align with the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, to allow any overflow clients beyond the severe weather facility’s 72-bed capacity to be transported to the Boulder Shelter, 4869 Broadway.
The move will “ensure the system bed capacity is more fully utilized,” Firnhaber said.
Before Friday, the plan was for the severe weather shelter starting in April to return to a schedule of only opening on nights forecast to hit 32 degrees or lower, and 38 degrees or cooler when precipitation is expected. That was its schedule before Council in January voted to open it nightly through the end of March, and the plan was for that to resume before the outbreak hit Colorado.
Additionally, Firnhaber announced the East Boulder Community Center hosting community members experiencing homelessness and symptoms of the virus-caused illness COVID-19 will be available to pick up people who meet the criteria for being held there between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. daily and transport them to the recovery facility, where the homeless with symptoms are monitored for worsening illness and kept from potentially further spreading the virus. Emergency pickups and transportation to the East Boulder Community Center will be available between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. based on staff and volunteer capacity.
Screenings for the virus consisting of temperature readings and other questions about symptoms from shelter staff will continue between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at the severe weather shelter, Boulder Shelter, and the two shelters operated by HOPE in Longmont. Those shelters operate at FaithPoint Church, 833 15th Ave., Thursdays through Saturdays; and Journey church, 2000 Pike Road, on Sundays through Wednesdays. Those who meet criteria to be held at East Boulder Community Center will be transported there from the shelters.
Boulder County, Longmont and Boulder officials who started the recovery center in east Boulder continue to seek volunteers to fill shifts at the facility hosting symptomatic people experiencing homelessness. Procedures are in place to prevent potential virus exposure to volunteers. Officials are hoping volunteers may be able to consistently serve more than one shift a week. Those interested in volunteering can do so at CountMeIn.BoulderColorado.gov.
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March 28, 2020 at 01:12AM
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Boulder severe weather homeless shelter to continue opening nightly through April - Longmont Times-Call
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