City of Richmond no longer sponsors cold weather overflow shelter
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- As temperatures get colder, people may be looking for shelter to spend the night. But in the last year, Richmond has changed its inclement weather shelter operations. The Salvation Army Inclement Weather Shelter is the only city-sponsored shelter. It opened at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue on Nov. 15. There are 100 cots -- for 60 men and 40 women -- inside the shelter on a first-come-first-serve basis, and the building also houses an emergency shelter for 50 men. Once the cots fill up, there's no city-sponsored overflow shelter people can go to in Richmond, according to the city. According to Richmond’s housing website, once the Salvation Army's shelter fills up, residents must get referred to an emergency shelter by calling the Homeless Crisis Line at 804-972-0813 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Domestic Violence Crisis Hotline at 804-612-6126 at any time, or by a coordinated outreach team member. 8News called the Homeless Crisis line during open hours, and the call was not picked up. An automated message directed us to other resources, then said to leave a message that would be returned by the next day. Though the Domestic Violence Crisis line is described by the city as being open 24/7, 8News called the line and no one answered. The city's website said people should not to go directly to a shelter and expect to be assisted without a referral. Referrals are given out based on bed availability and waitlist length, so it is not guaranteed someone will get into a shelter. The city will try to refer people to a shelter that best fits their situation, like a veterans’ shelter, family shelter or domestic violence shelter. The city used to sponsor additional inclement weather shelters until this year.
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- As temperatures get colder, people may be looking for shelter to spend the night. But in the last year, Richmond has changed its inclement weather shelter operations.
The Salvation Army Inclement Weather Shelter is the only city-sponsored shelter. It opened at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue on Nov. 15. There are 100 cots -- for 60 men and 40 women -- inside the shelter on a first-come-first-serve basis, and the building also houses an emergency shelter for 50 men.
Once the cots fill up, there's no city-sponsored overflow shelter people can go to in Richmond, according to the city.
According to Richmond’s housing website, once the Salvation Army's shelter fills up, residents must get referred to an emergency shelter by calling the Homeless Crisis Line at 804-972-0813 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Domestic Violence Crisis Hotline at 804-612-6126 at any time, or by a coordinated outreach team member.
8News called the Homeless Crisis line during open hours, and the call was not picked up. An automated message directed us to other resources, then said to leave a message that would be returned by the next day.
Though the Domestic Violence Crisis line is described by the city as being open 24/7, 8News called the line and no one answered.
The city's website said people should not to go directly to a shelter and expect to be assisted without a referral. Referrals are given out based on bed availability and waitlist length, so it is not guaranteed someone will get into a shelter.
The city will try to refer people to a shelter that best fits their situation, like a veterans’ shelter, family shelter or domestic violence shelter.
The city used to sponsor additional inclement weather shelters until this year.
