Columbia opening overnight warming center through Friday as homelessness discussions continue

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The overnight warming center located at the Wabash Bus Station in Columbia is opening Wednesday night through Friday night, according to a press release from the city. Columbia is expected to see below-freezing temperatures and snow heading into Thursday.

This comes as city leaders continue to discuss expanding resources for the homeless community. On Monday, public comment during the city council meeting called for a permanent emergency shelter, with one resident saying, "homelessness isn't seasonal."

Stephanie Browning, Director of the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, addressed the council at the same meeting. Browning said the city is still on track to use funding, in part, to help create a 24-hour resource center for the homeless community.

Additionally, the warming center at the Wabash Bus Station will now have daytime hours from noon until 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The city said it has hired private security staff from Citadel to staff the warming center during the added hours.

Citadel Security has started staffing the warming center overnight as well with CPD filling in when they are not able to staff the warming center during the day. The city anticipates Citadel will begin fully staffing the warming center both overnight and during the day in the coming weeks. 

The Wabash station was open Tuesday overnight and the city says the security company counted 26 people at the warming center Wednesday morning. The Fire Department recommends a maximum capacity of 13 people in the warming center, however, the number of people using the warming center regularly exceeds that number according to the city.

The added hours were added after protests in January called for the shelter to be open more often. Following the protests, the city raised the threshold for the overnight center opening, from 9 to 15 degrees, before raising it again to 25 degrees, which is the current threshold.

ABC 17 News spoke to Victoria Nowlin, a woman who uses the Wabash bus station Wednesday morning. She said she uses the Wabash warming center three to four times a week depending on her experience the night before. 

She said she has experienced inappropriate behavior at the Wabash warming center and feels strict guidelines should be added to get people removed.

"Fights, being drunk in public, there was this one time somebody was so drunk they peed on to m I hate that story but it is one of the main reasons why I got a propane heater," said Nowlin

Nowlin said she feels the Wabash Station and its resources are helpful, however, she doesn't always feel safe when she has to spend the night.

For those unable to stay at the warming center, there are several others available across Columbia for residents to utilize.

Columbia's warming centers include:

• ARC (Activity and Recreation Center), 1701 W. Ash St.
• Boone County Government Center, 801 E. Walnut St.
• Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, 1005 W. Worley St.
• Columbia Public Library, 100 W. Broadway
• Salvation Army, 1108 W. Ash St.
• Salvation Army Harbor House, 602 N. Ann St.
• St. Francis House, 901 Range Line St.
• Wabash Bus Station, 126 N. 10th St. 

Emergency shelters in Columbia include:

• Welcome Home (for veterans), 2120 Business Loop 70 E.
• St. Francis House (for men), 901 Range Line St.
• Rainbow House (for children/youth), 1611 Towne Dr.
• Flourish (for youth), please call 573.615.6135