City Of Norman To Vote On Temporary Warming Shelter

The City of Norman will be voting on a temporary warming shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

Friday, October 7th 2022, 10:28 pm

By: Anjelicia Bruton


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The City of Norman will be voting on a temporary warming shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

This comes after months of the council discussing how they will bring more resources to the homeless community.

Folks said it may just be a temporary shelter, but it's a guaranteed safe space for the colder months.

The emergency shelter is now an empty space after closing earlier this summer.

It was as close to a home Dominic Terry and dozens of others had at the time. 

When the shelter closed, many folks turned to the only option left, the Salvation Army, but folks said it's hard to find an open bed.

“I didn't have any options. I was confused about what to do,” Terry said.

While more people wandered the streets at night, the city looked for ways to help. 

Alan Hatcher with Norman Care-a-Vans attended every city council meeting.

“There was a RFP put out for a night shelter, salvation army applied, food and shelter applied. Food and shelter was awarded the contract,” Hatcher said.

With winter around the corner, the city said they're considering a location for a temporary warming shelter from early November to March.

Barbara Hitchcock said the city could really use another shelter.

“In the winter, if you don't have any place to go in where it's warm, you'll freeze. We've had a few people freeze in the last couple of years,” Hitchcock said.

Hitchcock said the issue isn't just finding a warm place to sleep

“I haven't had anybody come to me and ask me if they could help me. Like I don't know where to go,” Hitchcock said.

She wants a safe space that will accept her and her dogs.

“Everybody struggles out here and we try and help each other,” Hitchcock said.

This proposal will be up for approval on Tuesday. In the meantime, the search continues for a permanent overnight shelter.

Anjelicia Bruton

Anjelicia Bruton joined the News 9 family as a multi-media journalist in December 2020. She came to Oklahoma City from a station in Columbus, Georgia. In Columbus, Anjelicia covered stories on post at Fort Benning, deadly tornadoes in Alabama and an array of other stories.

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