Warming center for at-risk homeless residents is on the Lowell City Council agenda

LOWELL – When temperatures start to drop in the city this winter, the City Council wants to be ready with a plan to protect those in need. The body will assess and consider the implementation of a Warming Center Protocol be with Tuesday evening meeting at the town hall.

The policy is the result of months of discussions and several motions by council members to keep at-risk populations such as the homeless safe.

“In the event of an emergency, the Lowell Senior Center, located at 276 Broadway Street, will be used to provide a safe, temporary space for individuals and/or families, according to the Emergency Management Director,” according to the document dated 25 October.

The warming station will be staffed by Lowell police and fire personnel, a custodian and, if necessary, a public health nurse and paramedics.

The warming center will be implemented when a severe weather warning is issued by the National Weather Service, and will be initiated under the direction of the City Manager’s Office, Health Department, Senior Center, LPD and LFD to “confirm the opening and hour of the heating-cooling station. These individuals will continue to meet as needed throughout the event and determine when the station will be closed.”

The main discussion about the planning of the protocol took place at the August 27 meeting of the council after the body a petition signed by dozens of residents asking the city to provide shelter to those who need it when the weather is too hot or cold for safety.

The request was organized by several advocacy groups that have been active in the areas of housing and homelessness, including Solidarity Lowell, the Merrimack Valley Project and Lifting Lowellians: Assistance and Mutual Aid.

Several members of these organizations addressed the council.

“The least we can do is protect people from extreme, dangerous weather events,” said Solidarity Lowell member Ryan Oates. “Expanding our cooling and heating centers is a small but meaningful first step.”

Several speakers expressed concerns about the impact of the Life Connection Center closure on the unhoused community. When the Appleton Street nonprofit closed in May 2023, the community lost a significant drop-in center that stayed open until nearly midnight, and which also provided sanitation and food programs, a factor Councilman Wayne Jenness noted in his remarks.

“There will be cold nights and there will be fewer places for people to come out of the cold, like at Life Connection,” he said.

In his motion from the floor in response to the citizen petition, city manager Tom Golden was asked to make a plan especially for this winter.

“We need options and we need to put price tags on them so that it is understandable for everyone to know exactly what we are looking at and what it will cost the city,” Jenness said.

To date, the city has spent approximately $10 million in recent years on supports and services for Lowell’s homeless population, using a combination of the American Rescue Plan Act, Community Development Block GrantsHOME Investment Partnership Program and Emergency Solutions Grant funding.

ARPA was signed into law by President Joe Biden in March 2021. Lowell received a $75.9 million allocation to assist with ongoing pandemic recovery efforts. Golden said the services provided to the homeless population through the city’s funding streams were not only unmatched by other cities and towns around Lowell, but also that those neighboring cities benefited from Lowell’s substantial homeless outreach.

“When we’ve opened warming centers at the Senior Center, other cities are dropping people off,” Golden said. “We’re spending the money to achieve this goal… but I don’t see other cities doing anything other than dropping people off at our doors. As far as the list of things we support, I see the city of Lowell doing it – I don’t see anyone else doing it.”

Councilors John Descoteaux, Rita Mercier and Erik Gitschier addressed the issue of the city needing more state and federal support to address the growing homelessness crisis.

“If this ARPA money dries up, we’re all going to be in for a shock,” Gitschier said. “We cannot give the money we have given.”

His motion to have Golden send the citizen petition to U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan and the state delegation, requesting funds to help with the costs of homeless care and support, passed unanimously by roll call vote.

“This is a state of emergency for the homeless,” Mercier said. “That’s what we have here in this city.”

The City Council meets on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM in the chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 375 Merrimack St.. To speak at a meeting, contact City Clerk Michael Geary before 4:00 PM on the day of the meeting at 978-674-4161 or [email protected].