Santa Clara County opens warming centers as weekend temps plunge
CUPERTINO -- Warming centers, including seven Santa Clara County libraries, are open over the weekend in the South Bay to serve as refuge for residents in need due to anticipated cold temperatures.
A frost advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service and begins at 4 a.m. Saturday. As of now, it will remain in effect until 9 a.m. Sunday.
The county's Office of Supportive Housing is encouraging who are unsheltered to take precautions against hypothermia by visiting the warming centers.
Unsheltered individuals in San Jose will be able to seek an overnight warming location (OWL) bed by calling the referral line at (408) 539-2105 or by e-mailing owlreferrals@homefirstscc.org.
For a complete list of Santa Clara County warming center locations and hours of operation, visit PrepareSCC.org/ColdWeather
The following libraries will also be open as warming centers:
Cupertino Library, 10800 Torre Ave., Cupertino; opens 10 a.m. March 25, closes 6:30 p.m. March 26
Gilroy Library, 350 W. 6th St., Gilroy; open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 25; open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. March 26; open 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. March 27
Los Altos Library, 13 S. Antonio Rd., Los Altos; opens 10 a.m. March 25, closes 7 p.m. March 26; open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 27;
Milpitas Library, 160 N. Main St., Milpitas; opens 10 a.m. March 25, closes 7 p.m. March 26; open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 27
Morgan Hill Library, 660 W. Main Ave., Morgan Hill; open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 25; open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. March 26; open noon to 9 p.m. March 27; Saratoga Library, 13650 Saratoga Dr., Saratoga; opens 10 a.m. March 25, closes 6 p.m. March 26; open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 27;
Woodland Library, 1975 Grant Rd., Los Altos; opens 11 a.m. March 25, closes 5 p.m. March 26; open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. March 27.
Outreach workers, community partners and volunteers are visiting homeless encampments to distribute blankets, ponchos, tarps and tents while providing information about warming centers to people who are unsheltered. The Here 4 You Hotline, at (408) 385-2400, will operate with extended hours of 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. during the inclement weather period. Community members must state that they are seeking inclement weather beds when calling for shelter.