What This Story Is About
- The Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability says partners will make around 700 beds available at warming centers this season, with talks ongoing to secure even more.
Why It Matters
- The news comes as the Knox County Regional Forensic Center reports a suspected hypothermia death.
For Context
- Neither the county nor the city personally run warming centers in the area. Instead, third party partners, many faith-based, work with the municipalities to provide places for people to go when the weather gets frigid.
Catch Up
- Mike Donila, a spokesperson for the forensic center, confirmed a person died in November, and signs point to hypothermia as the cause of death, though no official determination has been made.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability says partners will make around 700 beds available at warming centers this season, with talks ongoing to secure even more. The news comes as the Knox County Regional Forensic Center reports a suspected hypothermia death.
Mike Donila, a spokesperson for the forensic center, confirmed a person died in November, and signs point to hypothermia as the cause of death, though no official determination has been made. The news has prompted discussion about the city and county’s warming center resources, something the city-county housing stability office says is being handled in full.
“Last winter approximately 700 people sought shelter during Knoxville’s coldest nights and no one was turned away,” said Executive Director of the Office of Housing Stability Erin Read. “With the work we have done with our partner agencies, I am confident we will be able to meet the demand for shelter again this winter.”…