Reluctance to seek shelter among homeless people is not uncommon, said advocates. “I would love to have somebody watching my stuff, but nobody is going to do it for free. (Photo:John Partipilo)īut on the days he’s not working, Jeffrey is reluctant to leave his tent despite blazing temperatures, since someone recently stole his insulin pens, clothes, construction equipment, food and his dog. Jeffrey, who asked that his last name not be used, tries to stay cool on his tent near Nashville’s Green Street Church of Christ. He may also visit a public library, but he is not allowed to eat or sleep there. In the winter, Jeffrey frequents cold-weather shelters operated by the city.ĭuring hot weather months, Jeffrey often relies on an electric fan he can plug in at the church or on air-conditioned public buses to manage the heat.
#PUBLIC BUT PLUG FULL#
“I try not to bother them,” said Jeffrey, who was reluctant to give his full name because of a state law making camping on public property a felony. Family members have offered assistance, but he has declined their help. Staying in a hotel is also not an option, since fees can amount to more than he’d pay for an apartment.
#PUBLIC BUT PLUG FREE#
Inside the humid confines of his tent, Jeffrey waits for his girlfriend, who left to pick up a free meal from another shelter.Īlthough he has a job in construction, Jeffrey has been homeless for 13 years and can’t afford Nashville’s housing market rates. “We may not be opening one big shelter, but there are multiple heat-relief options across Metro.”īut despite resources being available, they’re not always accessible.
“The city is very much involved in providing heat relief,” said Harriet Wallace, HID spokesperson. As a final resort, the homeless have also been told to find refuge from the heat in public libraries.
The Metro Nashville Homeless Impact Division (HID) has been handing out bus passes for homeless individuals to take shelter in air-conditioned spaces.
The Nashville Rescue Mission, Room at the Inn, the Salvation Army and the Community Care Fellowship offer heat-relief shelters while other organizations- Showers of Blessings and Shower the People - offer the homeless mobile services for baths and laundry. There are a few resources scattered around the city for homeless people to find relief from the summer heat. Open Table Nashville's Samantha McAlpine counsels a homeless man about options for shelter inside Green Street Church of Christ. “It’s hard for me as an outreach worker that sees these people sometimes multiple times a week to say, ‘I don’t know where you can go. And although organizers have received assistance from the city, their requests for city officials to open heat-relief shelters have been denied.Īccording to the Metro Nashville Office of Emergency Management, the heat index must reach 110 degrees before the city considers opening extreme heat shelters.īut advocates for homeless people said temperatures are already causing illness among the people they serve, and the number of places available for relief are limited. McAlpine opened the doors to the church, allowing the homeless residents to enjoy an air conditioned room.Īs Tennessee continues to experience a heat wave, nonprofit organizations have worked daily to provide water and resources for Nashville’s homeless population. “Last week we had to call an ambulance for someone having a heat stroke,” said McAlpine who works for Open Table, a homeless outreach organization. McAlpine checked the man’s temperature, noting that lately several homeless people have been showing signs of heat exhaustion. As they congregated around McAlpine, one man waited patiently for her to finish handing out food and water before he told her he’s been feeling ill lately. On a hot and humid Tuesday night, Samantha McAlpine made her daily rounds on Green Street, just south of downtown Nashville, offering food, water and relief to members of the local homeless community.Īcross from Green Street Church of Christ, homeless residents emerged from the tents they use as temporary housing.