DENVER — Falling snow and dipping temperatures are bringing a freeze warning to Denver Friday night into Saturday morning, prompting local organizations to prepare shelter space even though the city did not activate its official cold weather plan.
▶️ Watch: Local orgs prepare for overnight freeze
The City and County of Denver's Department of Housing and Stability said it did not activate its cold weather shelter plan because forecasted conditions did not meet the required threshold of being at or below 25 degrees or having two inches of snow on the ground.
We rely on National Weather Service forecasts to guide these decisions, and we have to make the call at least a day or two in advance so we can staff appropriately. Based on the forecasts from this week and through today, which showed no accumulated snowfall in Denver and overnight temperatures staying above 25 degrees, the city did not activate the Cold Weather Shelter Plan for tonight. That said, we want people to know that shelter is available.
Despite the decision, organizations like Volunteers of America Colorado and the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless are stepping up to help those in need.
Faustine Curry, chief advancement officer for Volunteers of America Colorado, said her team is ready for the weather event.
"We knew the weather was coming," Curry said.
"Our Sinton Sanctuary on Santa Fe downtown Denver, is ready to accept women ages 18 and over, at a moment's notice," Curry said.
"We're always prepared," Curry said.
Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy officer for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said the city's lack of activation slighty impacts their strategy.
"It certainly does change where we recommend people go," Alderman said.
Alderman said outreach teams started their work early to warn people about the changing conditions, which caused some whiplash Friday after a warmer-than-usual winter.
"We started sending teams out yesterday afternoon to say, despite how warm it is today, we really are expecting bad weather tomorrow," Alderman said.
"We ask again if they'd like to come inside and we help them get there," Alderman said.
The last time Denver activated its cold weather shelter this year was one month ago on March 15. The latest activation date in 2025 was on April 18.
So far this season, the Department of Housing and Stability has activated extra cold weather shelters 37 nights, compared to 67 last season.
In a statement to Denver7, a spokesperson for the Department of Housing and Stability provided the following shelter options for anyone in need:
Men: Denver Rescue Mission – Lawrence Street Community Center, 2222 Lawrence St.
Women: Samaritan House, 2301 Lawrence St.
Youth/Young Adults (ages 12–24): Urban Peak, 1630 S. Acoma St.
Families: Call the Salvation Army Connection Center at 303-295-3366.
More details and additional resources are available at denvergov.org/findshelter.
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