Housing

What to do if you see a houseless person who’s in an emergency situation:

  • If they are willing to go into a shelter or warming station, call 211 and tell them that the person is willing to go, but by cab. 211 will then call a cab to pick the person up.
  • If the person is NOT willing to go with a cab driver, post on one of the trusted Facebook groups where helpful people are, who are in a position to offer a ride or to check on the person, or to deliver another blanket, or whatever.
  • Be aware that many people don’t want to go because they rightly fear that they will not be able to bring their possessions with them. To not have their possessions when they go back to the street is a terrible risk. In that case, I think they are better off if people can bring sheltering things to them—extra tarps, sleeping bags, jackets, hats, blankets, etc.
  • If they aren’t going to go in for whatever reasons, they need layers and wind breaks to hold in their heat. There are many people on Facebook who are gathering donations and taking them out to people.

Other outreach organizations/groups that they can try contact for mental crisis: