Jan 27, 2025
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The Central Valley's chilly evening temperatures are posing a challenge for Fresno’s homeless community looking to stay warm. On Monday, homeless advocates protested outside of the Ted C. Wills Community Center against the city’s guidelines for when to open warming centers. In a resolution adopted in 2023, the city states that warming centers will operate when the outside temperatures drops below 35 degrees between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. “They should have the warming centers open on a regular basis because right now it’s raining and it’s cold. Everybody I know is getting sick,” Tiffany Bittner said. Tiffany Bittner is homeless. She recently learned that the city offers warming centers at three locations. “I just found out about them. But other than that, I just stayed outside and froze,” Bittner said. She joined dozens of homeless advocates outside the Ted C. Wills Community Center, protesting the city’s guidelines to open warming centers when it's below 35 degrees outside. “The standard that they have set, it's not right, 35 is still cold, anything under 50 is still cold,” Fresno High School student Gisselle said. “Thirty-five degrees cannot be the only criteria. Keep them open more consistently through the winter as they were in the past so the unhoused know that they can count on somewhere to go,” Dr. Farah Karipineni said. Councilmember Miguel Arias was also at the protest. He said it’s not just the homeless that need these community centers. “Right now we have about 30 seniors who are enjoying the community center. We also have to counsel all the youth programing that happens at these centers during and after hours whenever we turn to warming centers. So the consequence of expanding warming centers is also terminating or pausing youth programs and the programs for the elderly,” Arias said. Arias says the city has gone out of its way to accommodate the unhoused. “All the bus lines are open for free, for the unsheltered coming in. We even allow them to bring their pets on the buses and their belongings on the buses. So we've made it as simple as possible. But at the same time we are also now making restrooms and showers available across the city for free,” Arias said. Arias says more people should use the city’s resources, although surrounding neighborhoods pay a price. “The last time that they were open at that temperature, we only had about 4 to 5 people in each warming center. What you didn't see today is any neighbors advocating for it because it does increase the crime in the neighborhood when it becomes a warming center,” Arias said. ...read more read less
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