KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability plans to open warming centers on nights with temperatures below 25 degrees starting December 1, a spokesperson said.
A list of the warming centers is available here, and the office plans to update it as more organizations commit. The site also has options to donate or volunteer. The shelters are scheduled to remain open on cold nights through February 28.
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Last year, over 400 people sought shelter at the centers, although the number is expected to drop this year due to new programs and supportive housing, the spokesperson said. This is the third year of the program.
The Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability gave several statistics about homelessness saying that more than half of unhoused people are 45 or older and that rent has increased by about 62% since 2020; meanwhile, real wages only grew by 15%. It added that two-thirds of people at the warming centers used to live at a permanent address in the city or county before becoming homeless…