DALLAS — As the city of Dallas and multiple organizations partner to open a temporary inclement weather shelter at Fair Park, the effort includes the sometimes difficult task of convincing the city's unhoused that their lives could be on the line if they do not come inside.
"There will be a lot of people who are hesitant to come into shelters," admitted Austin Street Center CEO Daniel Roby at the opening of the 1,000-bed shelter at Fair Park's Grand Place Building.
"We're not so sure exactly how many people will be here. But we're prepared to even expand beyond this if need be," said Wayne Walker, pastor and CEO at Our Calling.
The temporary shelter opened at 3 p.m. Friday.
A woman named Jessica, next to a shopping cart full of her worldly belongings outside Dallas City Hall Friday morning, agreed to talk to me about the bitter cold.
"I've been homeless a year and (a) half," she told me while bundled in a heavy coat and blankets.
"So, how much cold can you take before you need to get inside somewhere?" I asked her.
"I'm not sure. But we're going to find out," she replied, admitting that she doesn't believe she is safe inside any of the city's shelters designated for the unhoused.
But the Fair Park shelter, scheduled to be open through at least Wednesday, will include ample security, warm food provided by the Texas Baptist Men organization, access to mental health experts, and guidance and counseling from multiple organizations working to get the unhoused off the streets permanently.
"And make sure that we begin them on a journey out of homelessness and hopefully into a place of their own," said Roby.
"As a community, we have a responsibility to ensure that our most vulnerable residents are not left out in the cold. The opening of Temporary Inclement Weather Shelter at Fair Park is a testament to our commitment to providing a safe and warm environment for those in need," said Christine Crossley the director of the Office of Homeless Solutions.
Ray Sanders is one of those people. We found him outside the shelter at Fair Park waiting for the doors to open.
"And just to open up for three or four days with the cold weather coming through, that's a big blessing," Sanders said.
But at our last check, Jessica was still planning to stay at her chosen outpost on the north side of Dallas City Hall.
"I stay out here," she told me. "Our ancestors came over here, what the hell did they have," she said as she listed a variety of reasons for preferring to stay outside.
But the offer of a warm place is available if she changes her mind, as several days of life-threatening bitter cold begins.