As summer approaches and the temperatures rise, the City is prepared to open weather-respite centers during extreme heat.
Following its use as a respite location during winter storms, the City’s Outreach and Engagement Center (3615 Auburn Blvd.) will serve as a place where people can cool down during heat waves. City community centers also can be activated to assist in this capacity.
“The City’s goal is to protect the health and safety of all Sacramentans by providing a comfortable place for residents to seek respite and safety from the elements during extreme weather events,” said Benjamin Worrall, social services manager of the Department of Community Response.
The OEC has been instrumental in providing safe respite and daytime services to unsheltered residents and others, particularly during the winter and summer months. Using updated guidelines approved by the City Council in 2023, the City will activate respite centers when the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat watch, warning, or heat advisory for expected dangerous hot weather. That notification roughly coincides with a temperature forecast of 100 degrees or higher for at least two days and nighttime air temperatures of 75 degrees or higher.
These criteria are separate and distinct from the thresholds put forth in the State and County’s Severe Weather Guidance Plan, which are monitored by the City’s Office of Emergency Management. The Department of Community Response is responsible for the opening of respite centers under City guidelines.
During days when temperatures do not reach the respite-activation thresholds, community centers and public libraries continue to offer a safe place to escape the heat as part of their normal day-to-day operations.
City respite centers typically offer water, snacks, restrooms and a place for people to rest and charge their phones, Worrall said. They also give the City an opportunity to discover other needs individuals may have and connect them with the appropriate resources.
Other nearby cities may offer places to cool down. The days and hours of these operations vary. Please call 2-1-1 or visit 211sacramento.org/211.
