As temperatures drop below freezing, Auburn and Opelika residents grow concerned for locals who must endure long-term exposure to the increasingly cold climate. Established homeless shelters are reaching maximum capacity, as the homeless seek refuge from the cold. While neighboring cities and local non-profits provide resources, neither the Auburn nor Opelika municipalities have officially opened warming centers for both their housed and unhoused community members.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey declared a State of Emergency for 39 counties, including the Lee, Chambers, Russell, Macon and Tallapoosa counties on Jan. 20 in preparation for freezing temperatures beginning on Tuesday.
"WHEREAS this winter weather event could cause significant damage to public and private property and poses a danger to the health and safety of the people of Alabama, including potential disruption of essential utility systems, personal injury, and loss of life," the declaration read.
Since the Jan. 10 snowstorm in middle Tennessee and northern Alabama, the Auburn and Opelika communities will endure colder temperatures in the upcoming weeks. This Tuesday, Jan. 21, Auburn has a 60% chance of one to three inches of snow, according to The Weather Channel.
Auburn and Opelika residents are calling for their local governments to open warming shelters because of dangerously low temperatures. Despite the outcry, neither cities have officially announced any assistance.
However, towns like Alexander City in nearby counties have opened warming shelters.
For a week, Alexander City offered residents 24-hour access to the Alexander City Municipal Complex as a warming center.
However, Alexander City is miles outside Auburn city limits and thus not easily accessible to the Auburn and Opelika homeless populations.
Christian ministry in Opelika, Harvest Evangelism is taking in the homeless community amidst the freezing temperatures. Since Christmas, the church’s rehabilitation centers His Place and Hosanna Home have taken in eight men and two women respectively.
While His Place and Hosanna Home are closer in distance, both have reached maximum capacity.
In a Jan. 5 Facebook post, Harvest Evangelism founder Rick Hagans called for locals who want to help to donate resources like clothing, food and bedding.
"It’s gonna be cold in Sweet Home Alabama this next week. It’s especially cold when you’re homeless. We’ve taken 8 homeless men in at His Place since Christmas and 2 homeless ladies at Hosanna Home. Were full," Hagan said on a Facebook post on Jan. 5. "We passed full a long time ago. We gave 3 men cots and let them stay in our laundry room. They’re so grateful. They’re warm. It’ll be in the twenties all week here. We’re not used to temperatures like that."
Organizations like Harvest Evangelism cannot meet the growing demand for shelter, as temperatures drop and Auburn University students return for the spring semester.
As of now, the city of Auburn has not announced an official warming shelter but will service those who request resources.
Auburn Community Services director Al Davis says the city has a program to help individuals in a temporary state of homelessness. Through this program, the city provides resources like shelter and food unique to each request.
For housing, this grant-funded program provides the unhoused with short-term shelter for at least a few nights. The stay can last up to a week if necessary to take care of children.
“It’s always a case-by-case basis on the family,” Davis said. “Some individuals just need to get out of the cold for a few days because maybe the heat does not work. [...] Some may need a little longer until they can work out a more stable type of housing.”
To provide this housing, the city of Auburn partners with local non-profits and churches. Combining resources, the city will pay for a few nights of refuge, and the partnering organization will pay for a few nights.
These organizations' names were not released for privacy but most were reportedly faith-based entities. In addition to local churches, the city of Auburn occasionally works with the Alabama Council of Human Relations, a private non-profit designed to aid the low-income population. These relations help Auburn overcome budget constraints and aid more residents in need.
In addition to housing, Auburn will also connect individuals in need to social service agencies and provide food through the Boykin Food Pantry. Residents can request these services at the Boykin Community Center, which houses the Community Services Department.
Instead of opening a shelter for the unhoused, the city of Auburn handles homelessness on a case-by-case basis and focuses on proactive measures to prevent it.
"Our approach has always been preventive," Davis said. "One way you keep a lot of families out of the state of homelessness is by being able to address root causes that create that environment in the first place."
Funded through the Community Development Block Grant program, these proactive measures include utility and rent assistance through the Community Development Block Grant program and housing rehabilitation through the Presbyterian Community Ministry and the Alabama Rural Ministry.
As of Sunday, Jan. 19, the city of Opelika has not announced an official warming center, but local businesses like entertainment venue Axe Marks the Spot and newspaper publisher The Observer are stepping up to help the community.
To protect Opelika residents from the cold, Axe Marks the Spot and The Observer opened their shared building in downtown Opelika at 223 South 8th St. as a warming center on Sunday night. This space will remain open on Tuesday, Jan. 21 when the projected low is 15 degrees.
"Part of my mission as owner of The Observer is to serve this community," said Michelle Key, owner and editor of The Observer. "Axe Marks the Spot, which shares our building, has this large space that is heated so the decision was made to open Sunday night as a place where people could come and be warm. The Opelika Church donated supplies to assist us in this endeavor."
Since 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, Muay Thai boxing gym Red Wolf School of Martial Arts at 2900 Wyndham Industrial Dr. in Opelika is also open as a warming center, joining Axe Marks the Spot and The Observer in serving Opelika residents.
In Loachapoka, the Family Enrichment Center on 1 Day Lily St. will open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21 for those seeking shelter from the cold.
For any warming center in Lee County, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency noted that those using the warming centers should bring all needed supplies, such as water, food, snacks, medications, chairs and blankets.
Auburn University has opened on-campus buildings Ralph Brown Draughon Library and Greene Hall as warming centers. Their addresses are 231 Mell St. and 1130 Wire Rd. respectively.
As of Tuesday, Jan. 21, all listed warming centers are open and available to those seeking shelter.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
