Indianapolis Overnight Warming Shelter Reopens as Temperatures Drop

The West Morris Street shelter will open Monday night as lows dip into the teens.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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An overnight warming shelter in Indianapolis is reopening as colder temperatures have returned to the area. FOX59/CBS4's latest forecast shows lows in the teens for both Sunday night and Monday night. The return of wintry cold and snow has led the Indianapolis Office of Public Health and Safety (OPHS) to make plans to reopen its overnight warming shelter on West Morris Street.

Why it matters

The reopening of the overnight warming shelter is crucial for providing a safe and warm place for those experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis as temperatures drop. The city's homeless population relies on these temporary shelters during the winter months to avoid the dangers of exposure to the cold.

The details

The West Morris Street shelter, located inside West Morris Church, has 70 beds for single men and is considered an overflow shelter that opens on an as-needed basis. The shelter opens from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. when overnight low temperatures are forecasted to hit 25 degrees or colder, the windchill temperature reaches 15 degrees or colder, or the windchill temperature is 25 or colder and there is precipitation. However, there were reports that the shelter did not open on Sunday night despite the cold temperatures.

  • Lows are forecasted to be in the teens on Sunday night and Monday night.
  • Highs reached record levels last week, with temperatures even reaching 70 degrees on Wednesday.

The players

Indianapolis Office of Public Health and Safety (OPHS)

The city agency responsible for operating the overnight warming shelter on West Morris Street.

Jeffery Jackson

Runs a local organization called BRAVEE, which advocates for unhoused individuals in Indianapolis.

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What they’re saying

“The conditions around the men staying in these shelters, especially for the winter contingency program, I can't speak for anybody else, but for the winter contingency program, it has to be below 25 degrees and stay there. Now, it has rained. It has snowed. Sleeping bags are wet, nothing is dry. We all know what degree hypothermia sets in. We all know what water starts to freeze at. We all know how damaging the cold and wind can be to your skin at 20 degrees.”

— Jeffery Jackson, Advocate for unhoused individuals (FOX59/CBS4)

“To have conditions that don't allow men to have a safe place to sleep and be warm like tonight is ridiculous. What can we do more as a community?”

— Jeffery Jackson, Advocate for unhoused individuals (FOX59/CBS4)

What’s next

The Indianapolis Office of Public Health and Safety has confirmed that the West Morris Street shelter will open on Monday night to provide a warm, safe place for those experiencing homelessness as temperatures drop.

The takeaway

The reopening of the overnight warming shelter in Indianapolis is a critical step in ensuring the city's homeless population has access to a safe and warm place to stay during the winter months. However, advocates like Jeffery Jackson argue more can be done to support those in need and provide adequate shelter when temperatures dip below freezing.