$3M Permanent Winter Shelter opens in OKC

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Oklahoma City's first permanent winter shelter is now fully operational. The Homeless Alliance said they are already seeing a surge in people seeking warmth at night.

From now until the end of March, The Homeless Alliance said the winter shelter, near Northwest 4th and Indiana, will open its doors at 4 p.m. regardless of weather conditions.

When they arrive, guests can first check in their stuff.

"We check your stuff, just like have a coat check at a at a restaurant," said Dan Straughan, the executive director of the alliance. "We'll tag your belongings and they go into this secure facility."

Straughan said guests are allowed to take in one "carry-on" bag, like on an airplane.

"It goes through the X-ray machine," said Straughan. "We have contract security, and then you come through the metal detector. If you have like a bladed weapon, we will take custody of that. And then when you leave, you get it back."

Then, guests will check into the Homeless Management Information system all shelters use before getting food, blankets, socks, and a bed in one of two rooms.

Straughan said this is not the proper environment for children. Families will be directed to City Rescue Mission or The Salvation Army.

However, the winter shelter is fit for canine companions.

"It's heated and we have room for about 40 dogs," said Straughan.

Straughan said the winter shelter is a great solution to a problem the non-profit ran into yearly. Previously, overnight shelters would go into overflow when the weather dipped below freezing.

"It meant winter beds were scattered all over the city, too. People didn't really know when they were open or not," said Straughan. "It was just impossible to staff. You end up working your regular staff a ton of overtime and burning them out."

Straughan said in April, the Homeless Alliance Experienced the biggest turnover in 20-years, due to the burnout.

Around the same time, the Homeless Alliance received the generous donation from the Arnall Family Foundation for the facility.

While the shelter has only been open for a few weeks, the alliance is already seeing near-capacity numbers. Straughan said he anticipated seeing a correlation with lower temperatures, however the numbers are staying consistent.

"What does that tell you?" News 4 asked Straughan. "That the numbers of unsheltered homeless in Oklahoma City have grown."

"If you need shelter on a winter night in the next five months or so, come on down," said Straughan.