POLITICS

Municipalities Open Shelters Ahead Of Severe Cold Weekend

PUBLISHED Jan 21, 2026, 11:23 PM ET

Read, Watch or Listen

Municipalities Open Shelters Ahead Of Severe Cold Weekend

Media Bias Meter

Sources: 6

Center 100%

Sources: 6

Across the United States, local governments and nonprofits opened warming shelters and expanded beds as severe cold and winter storms approached. Cities including Mullins, Elyria, St. Louis, Asheville and Eupora mobilized shelters, donated supplies, outreach and Code Blue activations to protect unhoused and heat-insecure residents. Shelters operated from city halls, recreation centers, churches and civic centers, with some expanding capacity by hundreds and running 24/7 during cold spells. Officials coordinated with emergency management, law enforcement and volunteers to provide cots, blankets, generators and transport. Forecasts and winter-storm watches prompted activations this week. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

By Daniel Hayes | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

Mullins moved its warming shelter to City Hall and opened it Tuesday night with donated supplies.
Asheville activated a downtown overflow shelter after existing winter shelters consistently reached capacity amid winter-storm watches.
Elyria announced a temporary emergency warming shelter to open Friday morning at a recreation center.
St. Louis moved to Code Blue Level 4, expanding emergency shelter beds and operating 24/7 for the weekend.
Eupora opened its Civic Center as a warming shelter at 3 p.m. and began collecting donations for prolonged use.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 6
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 0
Neutral:: 6

Who Benefited

Residents without adequate home heating, including unhoused and low-income individuals, benefited from newly opened or expanded warming shelters, donated supplies, and coordinated transport and services during severe cold.

Who Impacted

Unhoused people and households lacking reliable heating suffered increased exposure and health risks during the severe cold, highlighting gaps in permanent shelter infrastructure.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 6
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 0
Neutral:: 6
Distribution:: Left 0%, Center 100%, Right 0%

Who Benefited

Who Impacted

Unhoused people and households lacking reliable heating suffered increased exposure and health risks during the severe cold, highlighting gaps in permanent shelter infrastructure.