Homeless shelters in Jacksonville are expanding their capacity in response to cold temperatures expected over the next several days.
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With temps dipping into the 30s over the next few days, at least two local shelters are opening their doors to more locals without a place to stay.
City Rescue Mission is opening its New Life Inn to anyone seeking shelter from the cold, as long as temperatures remain below 40 degrees.
Meanwhile, Sulzbacher plans to open up emergency space at two of its locations through Tuesday morning.
“We don’t turn anybody away whenever its 40 degrees or under,” said Brian Snow, President of Sulzbacher’s Housing Division.
Snow said typically, Sulzbacher’s downtown men’s shelter and Brentwood shelter for women and children see as many as 55 additional people seeking shelter during cold snaps.
“Obviously, we don’t want people to get pneumonia and things like that. There are a lot of people that are a little older on the streets now and they’re in their 50s,” said Snow.
This year there’s an additional incentive to seek shelter, as the new public sleeping and camping ban now is being enforced.
As of this week, more than 300 warnings had been issued and 21 arrests were made in Jacksonville for violations.
Snow said especially in times like these, the shelter encourages those on the streets to take advantage of the warm place to sleep.
“Some people are kind of cautious about wanting into a shelter, which is understandable. And I would just say this, is that we don’t have any restrictions. We don’t require any case management. None of those stipulations,” said Snow. ”If it gets to that threshold, the temperature, and they need to come in we allow them to come in.”
Earlier this week city council approved $1.3 million for three homeless shelters to expand bed capacity by a combined 110 beds.
Council Finance Chair Ron Salem (R-Group 2 At-Large) has indicated he expects those permanent beds to be open by January 1st.
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