Operation Nightwatch, a dispatch center that helps people look for shelters, has seen exceedingly high numbers due to the change in weather and has had to turn people away.

“We need these shelters,” says Ann Sakaguchi, deputy director of Operation Nightwatch. We need these places to be open.”

The Single Adult Committee of the Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness is partnering with WHEEL to lobby the King County Council to expand shelters to both homeless men and women past their closing dates April 1.

King County funds two wintertime shelters that are open Oct. 1 to March 31. The YWCA operates the women’s shelter, Angeline’s, offering 40 extra beds. The men’s winter shelter, located in the County Administration building and operated by the Salvation Army, offers 50 extra beds.

In addition, the City of Seattle funds severe-weather shelters during the same winter months. They are open based on temperature and precipitation, and have about 200 additional shelter beds.

Angeline’s has been lucky enough to receive enough money to stay open through April 14.

“We are advocating that the county fill in the ‘no-shelter’ gap from April through September,” says Kim Sather of the Compass Center. “We have contacted County Council members and the County Executive to consider an amendment to the first-quarter budget.

“We hope this coordinated effort will help us get the attention needed to make shelter a reality,” Sather adds.

Reaction from the city has not been encouraging. City Councilmember Richard Conlin said in an email that he believes “the city spends a very large amount of money on shelters, and is unlikely to take any steps that would increase shelter capacity at this point. The decision has been made to invest in alternatives that will address the issue over the long term.”

The advocacy group delivered a second letter to the County Council and the Executive on April 5, and according to Sather is beginning an email campaign this week using their distribution lists from participating committee members.

“The council extended the Women’s Winter Response Shelter at Angeline’s until April 14,” she says. “We are hopeful that this is just a first step.”

—Erica Metzler