Report from NCH

From Chester Commons (which is now under renovation). Unknown artist

National Homeless Report on Winter Shelters

The National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington DC released a report on the state of winter shelters in the United States. Cincinnati and Columbus are the two cities featured in the report from Ohio. The report goes into a great deal of detail about hypothermia and the importance of staying inside during extreme weather conditions. There are warnings for those who are resistant to shelter to stay dry, and the report urges politicians to work for a regional approach to solving the winter shelter problem.

Cleveland was not featured, because we do not have a winter-only system for shelter. This is one thing that puts Cuyahoga County ahead of the rest of the country. We have had a 20 year commitment to providing shelter to everyone in need. We do not turn people away from the two entry shelters in Cleveland. The County Commissioners, the Mayor and the staff of the Office of Homeless Services have always found the funding to make sure that no one is turned away. This is expensive and a tremendous undertaking for a community. We have had old schools opened, church basements, and government buildings to keep people from freezing to death on our streets. This has resulted in significantly fewer deaths of people who have experienced homelessness compared to other cities. We need to thank our elected officials for remaining steadfast in protecting those without housing through multiple administrations.

Check out the report from the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Brian
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