Winter Shelter

Winter Shelter Banner with freezing thermometer.

WINTER SHELTER STATUS: INACTIVE


About Winter Shelter

The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services (MOHS) FY 2024 Winter Shelter Plan is in effect from November 1, 2023, to April 1, 2024MOHS will provide extended emergency shelter to people experiencing homelessness on nights when the temperature with wind chill reaches freezing (32 degrees and below). 

MOHS may activate the Winter Shelter Plan before November 1, 2023, or beyond April 1, 2023, if there is extreme inclement weather.


How to Connect with Winter Shelter for the Night

For families, adults, and couples seeking shelter referrals, please contact the Baltimore City Shelter Hotline at 443-984-9540, Monday - Friday, between 8:30 am to 9:00 pm, and Saturday - Sunday, between 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm. On nights when Winter Shelter is active, community partners and shelter seekers can also contact the Winter Shelter Hotline at 410-305-7132 between 9:00 pm - 12:00 am midnight.

Winter Shelter Transportation

Families seeking shelter will be picked up from their current location at the time of calling the Shelter Hotline. Single adults and couples should call the Shelter Hotline for shelter referrals before arriving at the pick-up locations. The following locations will serve as transportation pick-up and drop-off locations, Monday – Sunday from 4:00 pm - 7:30pm. 

My Sister's Place Women's Center

17 W. Franklin Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

Beans & Bread

402 S. Bond Street, Baltimore, MD 21231

Health Care for the Homeless

421 Fallsway, Baltimore, MD 21202

*Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training (MCVET)

301 N. High Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

*Sleep Inn & Suites

301 Fallsway, Baltimore, MD 21202

*Holiday Inn Express

221 N. Gay Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

*Winter Shelter Sites

Participating Winter Shelter Sites will provide accommodations from 4:00 pm to 9:00 am the next morning.  Each person will be provided access to dinner and breakfast, shower and laundry services, case management, vaccine clinics, and transportation to/from the shelter.


Winter Shelter Notifications

Each time a winter shelter night is activated (nights when it is 32 degrees or below with wind chill), the Mayor's Office of Homeless Services (MOHS) will notify government agencies, hospitals, Continuum of Care (CoC) members, homeless service providers, general public and individuals in need of shelter. Notifications may be received through several outlets such as MOHS' website, e-blasts, and social media. MOHS will also coordinate street outreach teams to notify unsheltered individuals without access to phone or internet about winter shelter availability.

Daily notifications will go out no later than 2:00 pm and for several winter shelter days at a time if the forecast is predicting prolonged cold weather. Access real-time information by calling 311 and 211 to find out if Winter Shelter is active and how to access shelter.

Resources for Language Translation, Vision Impairment, and Hearing Impairment

Call 211 for language translations of winter shelter information. 

Individuals with vision or hearing impairment may access Winter Shelter hotline services through MD Relay 711.


Code Blue Extreme Cold Activation

Code Blue season is from November 15, 2023, to March 15, 2023. The Health Commissioner declares a Code Blue Extreme Cold Alert during periods of extremely cold weather. Code Blue Extreme Cold is a multi-agency effort to reduce hypothermia deaths during the winter months by protecting our City's vulnerable populations.

If possible, the decision to declare a Code Blue Extreme Cold Alert will be made by 4:00 pm on the business day before or by 4:00 pm on the Friday before the weekend in which extreme cold weather is forecast. Please sign up for the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) newsletter for Code Blue notifications.

For more information on Code Blue Extreme Cold Alerts, visit the BCHD website.


Additional Resources