Out of the cold: As temperatures plunge, shelter opens to homeless in Chattanooga

Chattanooga’s homeless population got a message of hope Friday: They’ll have a warm place to sleep when icy winds scour the city tonight and early next week, and the city is working to make sure the shelter stays open during the worst winter weather.

Donna Williams, who heads the city’s Economic and Community Development Center, said she and Mayor Andy Berke met with officials of the Chattanooga Homeless Coalition on Friday to map out a plan to funnel city dollars into keeping the shelter open.

Coalition leaders will go before the City Council on Tuesday, Williams said, and request funding from this year’s budget. She didn’t know the exact amount, but last year the city gave the coalition $75,000.

“The shelter’s open and will be open for the foreseeable future,” Williams said. “What we’re trying to do is get them funding to extend it for the duration [of the cold weather.] There’s no risk of anyone not being served in the next week or two.”