Cold Makes Homelessness a Personal and Public Crisis 
Washington Post                              December 7, 1992


By Pierre Thomas
Washington Post Staff Writer           
      As evening approached yesterday and the sun began to melt away, Craig Champ,, who is homeless, knew he would have to find shelter again. It is a problem he will face many nights this winter when the temperature dips below freezing.
      "It's life and death," said Champ, in line for free lunch
at Lafayette Square, across; from the White House. The cold "is serious business, serious business."
      With winter approaching city officials again are confronted with what to do abut the homeless when frigid temperatures become routine. During the weekend, plans to prevent freezing deaths were set in motion when temperatures dropped to 26 degrees Saturday night, with winds 15 mph to 20 mph providing additional bite.
      District officials and volunteers passed out blankets and used two vans to search for the homeless and place them in two overflow shelters, Alexandria officials provided additional space at city shelters. 
      The plans will remain in effect because low temperatures in the  mid-twenties to lower thirties ,are expected during the week.
      There were no exposure deaths reported during the weekend. Last winter, at least eight homeless people died from exposure in the District, advocates say.
       There were 125 vacancies this weekend at the city's shelters, which can house up to 1,335 homeless people.But fearing a groundswell of need, officials on Saturday nevertheless opened two overflow "hypothermia units," used when the weather is particularly frigid.
        A total of 28 homeless people were served at Reeves Municipal Center and at Hagan Hall on the grounds of St. Elizabeths Hospital from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. "We opened the [hypothermia] units because of the extreme weather conditions," said Larry Brown, spokesman for the Department of Human Services.
        In Alexandria, shelter officials reported that they
made overflow space available for 13 homeless people who requested assistance.
      "lt's surprising we didn't get more people, considering how cold it was," said Joan Hammond, director of the 65-bed Alexandria Community Shelter, which housed additional people with assistance from the 130-bed Carpenter's Shelter The! District government is required by law to provide shelter to provide shelter to the homeless when the temperature falls to 32 degrees or below.
      Although pleased that the city is providing assistance, some advocates for the homeless said there are still shortcomings in the city's response.
      Cliff Newman, a spokesman for the Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV), complained that the overflow units should have been opened at 4 p.m. rather than 7 p.m. Newman also said that the overflow units are sometimes far away from where the homeless spend their days. The homeless must then find transportation back to the places where they spend their time
which are often where their support networks are, particularly food distribution centers.
      "Some [homeless] would rather brave the cold, so they can have food the next day," Newman said.
      Brown said city officials opened the shelters as soon as they could. "The government can't do it all," he said. "The bottom line is that we have beds for people in extreme weather.
      Reeves Municipal Center car provide up to 150 beds, the Hagan facility, 50. Brown noted that two more hypothermia units are available and that the city can open government buildings for the homeless if needed.
       The District's hypothermia hot~line has been in operation since Nov. 1 and will remain in service through March 31.
      "All we can do is encourage people to come in out of the cold," Brown said. "The government can't know where every homeless person is."
       Some chose not to seek shelter yesterday, a homeless man huddled next to an underground vent that blew hot air onto 15th Street Northwest, near Constitution Avenue. The vent was his salvation said Ron, 38, who would-give only his first name. "I really depend on this," said Ron, who is from Ohio. Ron said another homeless man came by Saturday night, shivering in the cold. "I gave him a coat and blanket," he said.
       Champ evaded Saturday night's frigid temperatures by sleeping in a shelter provided by a District church group. He was thankful to have had shelter, but he ~as also concerned about those who did not.
       What about the homeless who could not figure out how to contact city officials Saturday night, Champ asked angrily. The answer to the problem is more permanent shelter beds, he said. "Look, these are grown men," he said as six homeless men gathered. "We hurt. We cry. We are not dogs."

SHELTER FROM THE COLD 

For information about cold-weather shelter for homeless people in local communities, call:

DISTRICT: 202-727-3250, staffed 24 hours daily.
ALEXANDRIA: 703-329-2050, staffed 24 hours daily.
Prince GEORGE'S: 301-779-5971 during business hours; 301-731-0999 nights and weekends.
MONTGOMERY: 301-424-9190, 7 p.m. to 9 a.m.