(The Center Square) – Pierce County’s new centralized shelter hub has taken in more than 800 homeless people less than a month after opening.
The Parkland Warming Center opened on Jan. 25 as part of Family Promise of Pierce County’s mission to help homeless and low-income families through a variety of services, including shelter. The opening comes as colder temperatures have hit western Washington starting last month.
Pierce County’s cold weather response system activated on Jan. 19. It has remained activated since, making this the longest duration the cold weather response system has been in place in Pierce County history.
According to the city of Tacoma, the weekly operating cost of a single warming center is approximately $18,000, meaning warming centers in Pierce County have cost operators roughly $72,000 going into the current week.
The Emergency Management Department activates its cold weather response system once temperatures reach the threshold of 32 degrees Fahrenheit for one day or a wind chill of below 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Pierce County Public Safety Committee was briefed on the region’s cold weather responses during a meeting on Monday. Pierce County Emergency Management Department Acting Directory Amy Gillespie informed the committee that there have been 840 individuals utilizing the Parkland Warming Center as of Feb. 7.
The 840 people represent 31% of the 2,661 homeless people counted in the county’s 2024 Point-in-Time count.
Family Promise of Pierce County has been able to connect unhoused people with housing and job opportunities. Since Jan. 19, seven people have been placed in housing and three people have found jobs through Family Promise of Pierce County.
There have been 10 National Weather Service advisories regarding cold weather this year in Pierce County. The department relies heavily on their street outreach teams to inform unhoused people of warming centers being available and Pierce County Transit being free to help them travel to shelter in response to cold weather hitting the region.
When the cold weather response system eventually ends as temperatures increase, the Emergency Management Department said it will bring in all of its partnering coordinated entry providers to help get people into the Coordinated Entry system.
Coordinated Entry is the “front door to the homeless crisis response system. It is the first step in receiving support for people experiencing homelessness and is designed to quickly and effectively connect people to housing solutions.”
