With the January temperatures in Fresno dropping below 40 degrees Fahrenheit on some days, those who are unhoused in the city are trying to survive. By using tents, blankets, and campfires, these people are doing what they can to keep themselves warm in these cold conditions.  

Within the past few years in the Fresno and Madera regions, there has been about a 7% increase in people who experience homelessness. As stated in the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care in July 2023, there was a total of 4,493 homeless individuals, 2,785 of whom were unsheltered.  

As all these people are without shelter during the coldest time of the year, the city of Fresno should be doing what it can to provide the services needed to keep these people safe and protected, and in this case warm as well.  

Three operating warming centers around Fresno are open and accessible from 7 am to 7 pm. This includes the Maxie L. Parks Community Center, Mosqueda Community Center, and Ted C. Willis Community Center. But these warming centers are only open when the lowest temperature of the day is below 35 degrees. This means that if low temperatures are around 40 degrees, the warming centers are not providing their services to the unsheltered people who need them.  

These terms of the warming centers have raised some concerns for Fresno’s homeless population’s health and safety among many city council members. A council member in particular, stated to Fox 26 News about his thoughts about the issue.  

Miguel Arias, member of the Fresno City Council for District 3 shared, “I am the one who has to drive through Tower seeing bodies lying there, lifeless, because the warming centers are not open and they should have been.” This concern that Arias has for the safety and health of unsheltered people in Fresno is a common occurrence among other council members and advocates.  

The city of Fresno should change the terms of these warming centers to ensure that we provide these people with the necessary shelter and warmth. By making these changes and having the warming centers open during days with low temperatures under 45 degrees instead of 35 degrees, we can work towards giving the people of Fresno who are unsheltered more safety and security.  

Understandably, this isn’t an easy task, especially with the long process it would take to eventually make these changes. But these people will continue to suffer in cold temperatures with little protection if we don’t take action to start the process of fixing this problem.