Over the past four winters, Iowa City's Shelter House has operated a temporary homeless shelter that was capable of housing 30 people per night during the winter months. These temporary shelters were created to alleviate some of the overcrowding that happens each winter at the Shelter House. They were also used as a form of "wet shelter" (i.e., allowing individuals to access the shelter who had been drinking alcohol). Those individuals are typically turned away from the Shelter House. It was set up in the old Aldi's building in 2014, at the old TMone building in 2015, at the former Unitarian Universalist Society Church building in 2016, and then the old Carquest building last year.
It was announced this week that the
Low Barrier Winter Emergency Shelter will be located this year at 821 S Clinton Street in Iowa City -- the old Carquest building, same as last year.
The temporary winter shelter will presumably open in December and last through February or March.
