Kansas City Expands Cold-Weather Shelters to Combat Subfreezing Temperatures for the Homeless
For Kansas City’s homeless population, the ability to escape subfreezing temperatures relies heavily on the availability of emergency shelter beds.
Hypothermia poses a significant risk when temperatures drop to 32 degrees, while frostbite can set in within 30 minutes when the air temperature is below 5 degrees or if wind chills reach 25 degrees below zero.
To address this urgent need, cold-weather shelters across the city opened 400 beds on December 1, but the number still falls short given the estimated need of at least 2,215 beds for the homeless across the Kansas City area.
Last year’s annual survey reported 1,986 homeless individuals, and Jackson County has seen its unsheltered population rise from 669 in 2023 to 724 in 2024. Meanwhile, Wyandotte County’s unsheltered population has also grown from 122 to 152 in the same period.
Josh Henges, Kansas City’s homeless prevention coordinator, explained that the city faces challenges addressing diverse needs among its homeless population, noting that groups such as youth, women, and older or sick individuals often prefer different shelter accommodations.
Therefore, the city’s cold-weather response focuses on offering a variety of options rather than solely prioritizing bed numbers.
The city’s extreme-weather plan is part of Zero KC, a broader initiative to end homelessness, and costs approximately $1.5 million annually—up from $1.3 million last year. The program ensures that shelters remain operational through March 1, with the number of beds updated daily at 8 a.m. based on that evening’s weather forecast.
Shelters Available Every Night
Five shelters will operate every night regardless of the temperature, offering a total of 270 beds:
- Hope Faith Homeless Assistance Campus (705 Virginia Ave.) – 130 beds for men, including those who identify as male, and access to referral-only shelters.
- HopeCity KC (5101 E. 24th St.) – 55 beds for women and access to referral-only shelters.
- Unity Southeast in Kansas City (3421 E. Meyer Blvd.) – 40 all-gender beds.
- True Light Family Resource Center (712 E. 31st St.) – 25 beds for women and mothers with children under 16; referral only.
- The Heartland Center for Behavioral Change (1730 Prospect Ave.) – 20 all-gender beds; referral only.
Additional Emergency Beds During Cold Snap
Two additional cold-weather shelters will open only when temperatures drop to 32 degrees or lower, or if wind chills are 25 degrees below zero or colder:
- Shelter KC Men’s Center (1520 Cherry St.) will add 20 extra beds.
- City Union Mission Men’s Shelter (1108 E. 10th St.) will also add 20 beds. Guests can access these without participating in the shelter’s programming.
- A Turning Point (1900 N.E. Englewood Road, Gladstone) will add 50 all-gender beds when temperatures reach 25 degrees or lower with wind chills of 15 degrees or colder.
New Developments & Coordination Efforts
Rob Santel, director of programs at Cross-Lines Community Outreach, confirmed that a cold-weather shelter is being planned for Wyandotte County but will not open for several weeks. In the interim, Project 1020 (9400 Pflumm Road in Lenexa) will remain open daily from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. through March 31.
Furthermore, the city is prepared to add up to 100 additional beds if temperatures drop to zero degrees or lower, coordinated by multiple service providers throughout the metro area.
This strategic cold-weather response aims to streamline services while ensuring vulnerable populations receive shelter and protection from the deadly cold during the holiday season.