St. Louis Extends Emergency Shelter Activation Through Friday

City provides over 600 beds and transportation to help homeless residents during cold weather

Jan. 27, 2026 at 12:39pm

The City of St. Louis Department of Human Services has extended the Code Blue level 4 activation through Friday morning, ensuring over 600 emergency shelter beds are available day and night along with transportation to the shelters. The city has set up several walk-up shelter locations and rally points where residents can get picked up and transported to the shelters.

Why it matters

With dangerously cold temperatures expected, the city is taking proactive steps to provide emergency shelter and transportation to help protect the homeless population and ensure no one is left out in the cold. This level 4 activation is the highest alert, indicating a critical need for expanded shelter capacity.

The details

The city has activated over 600 emergency shelter beds in addition to the baseline 400 beds. Several walk-up shelter locations are available across the city, including at Peter & Paul and Biddle Housing Opportunities Center. Transportation to the shelters is provided from designated rally point locations between 5-7pm each evening.

  • The Code Blue level 4 activation has been extended through Friday morning, January 30, 2026.
  • The expanded shelter capacity and transportation services have been available since Friday, January 23, 2026.

The players

City of St. Louis Department of Human Services

The city agency responsible for coordinating the emergency shelter response and Code Blue activation.

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What’s next

The city will continue to monitor weather conditions and shelter capacity, and may further extend the Code Blue activation if the cold weather persists.

The takeaway

By proactively expanding emergency shelter and transportation options, the City of St. Louis is ensuring its most vulnerable residents have access to life-saving resources during this dangerous cold snap.