AUSTIN – With temperatures forecasted to dip into the mid-30s early Saturday morning, the City of Austin has announced the activation of overnight Cold Weather Shelters (CWS) for Friday night, December 20th.

Registration for shelter will take place between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday at One Texas Center (OTC), located at 505 Barton Springs Road. This site will serve as the central embarkation point for individuals seeking overnight shelter.

The City of Austin collaborates with community partners who work directly with the unsheltered population to provide timely information via the City’s text alert system. The Homeless Strategy Office determines when to activate Cold Weather Shelters, typically up to one day in advance and no later than 9 a.m. each day. Shelters are activated when forecasted overnight temperatures at Camp Mabry are expected to reach 35 degrees or below.

To access a Cold Weather Shelter, individuals must register at One Texas Center between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Bus routes to OTC include lines 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105, 142, and 801. Those without the means to pay the fare will still be provided transportation. CapMetro partners with the City to transport individuals from OTC to shelter locations. An after-hours embarkation service is also available for those needing transportation to a shelter outside of the registration period.

While Cold Weather Shelters primarily serve people experiencing homelessness, they are open to anyone needing a warm place to stay overnight. For information about access and activation, individuals can call the CWS Hotline at 512-972-5055.

Guests can bring belongings that they can transport to the OTC and onto a CapMetro bus. Pets are allowed if they are not aggressive, can be around others, are on a leash, and can sleep with their owners. If a crate is needed, guests should inform staff at the OTC when registering. Meals will be provided. Women and couples can stay at the same shelter but in separate areas as capacity allows. Families with children and unaccompanied minors will receive hotel vouchers during activation periods.

To manage capacity limits and privacy concerns, the City does not list the locations of the shelters. However, the embarkation point is publicly available: One Texas Center at 505 Barton Springs Rd.

The public is encouraged to follow AustinTexas.gov/Alerts for emergency information updated in multiple languages.