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Cranston Street Armory warming station prepares for at least 200 as dangerous cold sets in


Cots are lined up inside the Cranston Street Armory in Providence, which is operating as a warming station. Amos House is expecting 200 people to seek shelter there during a weekend cold snap. (WJAR)
Cots are lined up inside the Cranston Street Armory in Providence, which is operating as a warming station. Amos House is expecting 200 people to seek shelter there during a weekend cold snap. (WJAR)
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Dangerously cold weather is on the way, and people living outside may be looking for a place to stay.

Local leaders and homeless advocates are ramping up efforts to get the unhoused into warming stations and shelters ahead of the frigid conditions.

Amos House executive director Eileen Hayes has scheduled extra staff members as she expects roughly 200 people to use the Cranston Street Armory in Providence this weekend. Amos House is the service provider tasked with running the 24/7 site along with the Rhode Island National Guard.

The armory was originally supposed to hold up to 50 people, but has since expanded.

"We have cots for 200 people, but with that being said, we will not being turning anyone away and we will let them in," Hayes told NBC 10 News.

Medical units are on-call to address frostbite and other cold-related injuries. One man told us he arrived at the armory three days ago, just in time to beat the cold.

"I got aches and pains everywhere, and the colder it gets, the worse it gets," said Joaquim Ferreira. "I'm grateful for this place."

State Rep. Enrique Sanchez represents the District 9 where the armory sits. His office is working with advocates and armory leaders to get people indoors this weekend.

"No one wants anyone staying outside because those are potential temperatures that could lead to death," Sanchez said. "We need to take immediate action this weekend and make sure no one is affected."

But addressing that is part of what he says is a bigger crisis.

"I'm concerned that we aren't able to provide enough affordable housing and low-income housing, which has driven the issues we're dealing with now with the homelessness crisis, not just in Providence but all across the state," Sanchez said.

Sanchez hopes to see investment in affordable housing efforts, and also new legislation to tackle utility cost hikes.


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