(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
People seeking shelter from below-freezing temperatures rest inside a church warming center Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Houston.
More than 30 warming centers are slated to open this weekend as the Houston area copes with expected freezing weather and icy precipitation.
A rainy Friday night and Saturday will be followed by freezing temperatures on Sunday and Monday, according to the National Weather Service, which has issued winter storm and extreme cold warnings beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The city of Houston, along with government offices in counties such as Harris, Fort Bend and Galveston, have announced plans to operate warming centers where residents can escape the cold and charge their electronic devices. Pets will be allowed at some of the sites.
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The city of Houston will operate 12 warming centers. According to the city’s office of emergency management, they will open starting at 5 p.m. Saturday and “remain open until further notice.”
“We are focusing on the homeless. We’re going under bridges, urging people to come out, go to these homeless centers,” Mayor John Whitmire told Houston Public Media. “If they just refuse, we’ll take resources to them in the form of a sleeping bag and blanket.”
Pets are welcome, and food will be provided at the city-run locations.
As of the last point-in-time count by the Coalition for the Homeless in January 2025, there were about 1,200 people living on Harris County streets and another 1,800 staying in shelters.
A total of 1,300 people sought shelter in the city’s warming centers during the snowstorm last year — primarily homeless people, according to city officials.
Whitmire said he wasn’t sure about the total capacity of the 12 warming centers, but expressed confidence in the city’s ability to shelter all who come.
Only four of the centers have permanent backup power generators, but city officials said the others will have mobile generators on site in case the storm causes electricity outages.
Here is a list of warming centers opening in Houston and surrounding areas, with addresses and operating hours:
City of Houston (all locations open at 5 p.m. Saturday)
Acres Homes Multi-Service Center: 6719 W. Montgomery Rd.
Northeast Multi-Service Center: 9720 Spaulding St.
Kashmere Multi-Service Center: 4802 Lockwood Dr.
Moody Community Center: 3725 Fulton St.
Fifth Ward Multi-Service Center: 4014 Market St.
Denver Harbor Multi-Service Center: 6402 Market St.
Fonde Community Center: 110 Sabine St.
Metropolitan Multi-Service Center: 1475 W. Gray St.
Magnolia Multi-Service Center: 7037 Capitol St.
Third Ward Multi-Service Center: 3611 Ennis St.
Southwest Multi-Service Center: 6400 High Star Dr.
Sunnyside Multi-Service Center: 4410 Reed Rd.
Harris County
Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet St. Open 24 hours. Crated pets are allowed.
Baytown Community Center, 2407 Market St. in Baytown. Opens at noon Saturday. No pets allowed.
Deputy Darren Almendarez Community Center, 10918 Bentley St. Opens at noon Saturday. Pets are allowed.
Leon Grayson/Felix Baldree Community Center, 13828 Corpus Christi St. Opens at noon Saturday. Pets are allowed.
Lincoln Park Community Center, 979 Grenshaw St. Opens at noon Saturday. Pets are allowed.
Cactus Jack Cagle Community, 709 Riley Fuzzel Rd. in Spring. Open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and noon-8 p.m. Sunday.
Crosby Community Center, 409 Hare Rd. in Crosby. Open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and noon-8 p.m. Sunday.
Trini Mendenhall Community Center, 1414 Wirt Rd. Open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and noon-8 p.m. Sunday.
Fort Bend County
Attack Poverty: Friends of North Rosenberg, 1908 Avenue E. Open from 8 p.m. Saturday-8 a.m. Sunday
Landmark Community Center, 100 Louisiana St. Open from 8 p.m. Saturday-8 a.m. Sunday
Fulshear Branch Library, 6350 GM Library Rd. Open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview Dr. Open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Mission Bend Branch Library, 8421 Addicks Clodine Rd. Open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Missouri City Branch Library, 1530 Texas Pkwy. Open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
First Colony Branch Library, 2121 Austin Pkwy. Open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sugar Land Branch Library, 550 Eldridge Rd. Open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
University Branch Library, 14010 University Blvd. Open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sienna Branch Library, 8411 Sienna Spring Blvd. Open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Mamie George Branch Library, 320 Dulles Ave. Open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Albert George Branch Library, 9230 Gene St. Open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Galveston County
Northside Baptist Church, 2801 N. Logan St. in Texas City. Open 24 hours, providing shelter, hot meals, showers and clothing