Facts and Information

SheetWarming Center

Updated 12/29/20

Warming Center Operations:

• We are partnering with Valeo Vocation to provide a 24-hour warming center for unsheltered individuals throughout the 2020-2021 cold weather season.
• Site locations include:
  • Eastside Community Center (1721 E 56^th St).
    • This site opened October 24, 2020 for inclement incidents only and transitioned to 24/7 operations on November 18, 2020. The site is expected to be open until March 31,
    • Overnight capacity is
    • Daytime services for additional guests are
  • Center at Norpoint (4818 Nassau Ave NE).
    • This site is anticipated to open by mid-January and to be open through March 31,
    • Overnight capacity is 50 and admittance is based on referrals from service
    • Due to limits on transportation in the area, there will be no daytime drop-in services. Guests will “make reservations” for shelter by getting a referral from a service provider, and on- demand transportation will be provided to and from the site as needed.

On Site Services:

• Every Warming Center guest is provided on-site access to:
  • Face masks
  • Meals
  • Showers
  • Sleeping mats

• Warming Center guests also have access to supportive employment programming and referrals to additional services to address barriers to housing, such as mental health and substance use disorder

Transport and Referrals:

• The City utilizes existing contracts to provide transportation to and from the
• Referrals to the centers are made directly to the operator by community service providers and the Homeless Outreach Team. Provider coordination ensures that guests seeking shelter are able to be accommodated upon arrival.

Community Safety and Access:

• Tacoma Police work closely with the operator and community members to proactively address any concerns related to the site. Community members can call 311 to contact their Community Liaison Officer and the non- emergency line at (253) 798-4722 to report criminal
• As part of the operating agreement, the operator monitors the centers and properties to ensure proper use of the facilities so that the community can continue to access outdoor

Budget:

• Costs of both Warming Centers is expected to be approximately $500K for operation through the end of March and will be paid using COVID-19 response funding. Additional safety measures and staffing required due to COVID-19 have increased overall costs for shelter

COVID-19 Safety:

• The shelter operator will be following all COVID-19 safety protocols recommended for service providers by the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department.
• Details about social distancing and other COVID-19 safety measures that will be implemented by the shelter operator can be found at https://www.tpchd.org/healthy-people/diseases/covid-19-information-for- human-services-providers.

Inclement Weather Partnerships:

• The City is offering the Warming Centers as an additional resource because COVID-19 protocols have limited normal inclement weather shelter capacity.
• Additional warming center and shelter information is available on our website org/inclementresources.
• Together with our funded shelter providers, we are working to identify additional winter shelter capacity and expect additional shelter capacity to be available throughout the city in early January