Homeless people in Seattle endure brutal winter cold, 'one night at a time'

Temperatures in Western Washington plummeted this week with daytime highs well below freezing. Some homeless people living outside in Seattle are finding shelter as beds open up.

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n Thursday night, about a dozen people stood outside in the snow, waiting to get into Seattle City Hall to sleep for the night.

Most had come from the nearby Central Library where they had just heard City Hall would open because of the extreme cold.

Michael Boyce stood outside the doors carrying a sleeping bag and extra blankets.

“I sleep really warm as long as I have a good blanket and I can stay dry,” Boyce said. “I tend to do really well.”

He typically sleeps outside in downtown parks, but on Thursday night, he decided he had to get inside.

“The snow,” Boyce said, pointing to the steady flakes coming down. “Getting wet is the quickest way to get cold. As soon as you get wet, there's no controlling, there's nothing you can do.”

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority announced the shelter at City Hall on Friday afternoon, a few hours before it opened, with room for 40 people. This spot was available just for Thursday night.

Boyce and the others would have to find a place to sleep at one of the other shelters activated by the Authority.

While he waited to get into City Hall, Boyce looked over the list of severe weather shelters on a flier he got at the library. He crossed off the ones he’s not eligible for like shelters for women and children.

“That leaves with me two,” Boyce said, "We’ll see where I go. It’s one night at a time.”

A couple blocks away from City Hall a row of tents lined Third Avenue. People there said they knew about the shelter, but because it was open just one night, they didn’t want to move their tent.

People experiencing homelessness and living outside are the most at risk of dying from extreme weather like below freezing temperatures.

Last month, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office reported at least two people living in vehicles in King County died from hypothermia.

Overnight severe weather shelters in Seattle are active through Tuesday morning. The Authority has a list of day centers online for people to escape the cold in the morning.