By Gary Emmert

With Texas temperatures climbing into dangerous territory, the City of Austin is expanding its heat response efforts by opening the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) as a dedicated daytime cooling center. In partnership with Urban Alchemy, the center will remain open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout the summer.

Located downtown at 500 East 7th Street, ARCH now serves as a vital refuge for unhoused residents who may not have access to air conditioning. Visitors are welcomed inside with their pets and offered essentials like drinking water, phone charging, and restrooms.

David Gray, the City’s Homeless Strategy Officer, emphasized the urgency behind the initiative.

“Extreme heat can be dangerous—even deadly—for people without reliable access to shelter,” Gray said. “By opening the ARCH as a dedicated cooling center downtown, we are providing a safe, welcoming space for people to get relief from the heat. This is about protecting health, preserving dignity, and saving lives during Austin’s hottest months.”

The City is also working in tandem with CapMetro to ensure transportation isn’t a barrier. On days when the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat warning, individuals seeking relief can notify CapMetro drivers they’re headed to a cooling center and receive fare-free transport.

To broaden awareness and outreach, the Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) is distributing nearly 4,000 bottles of water to outreach teams and is actively pushing text message alerts with updated cooling center information. Teams on the ground are also educating residents on heat-related safety precautions and available services.

Residents interested in exploring cooling center locations and hours citywide can find updated maps and alerts at austintexas.gov/alerts.

For more information on homelessness and available services in Austin, visit austintexas.gov/homelessness.