MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — With the official start of fall just weeks away, Morgantown residents are asking city council members about the warming shelter for the 2025-26 season.
Last year, the shelter was operated by Catholic Charities West Virginia at Hazel’s House of Hope on Scott Avenue and funded by the city and county.
Resident Lindsey Jacobs had a list of questions Tuesday night’s Morgantown City Council meeting.
“Where’s the urgency? What are you all doing? What is the city doing? What is the county doing? Where are folks going to go? Where is the warming shelter going to be? How is it going to be staffed, and who will oversee it? What are you doing to make sure we have a fully staffed, functional warming shelter?” Where all questions were reeled off by Jacobs.
During her report, Mayor Danielle Trumble, also a Morgantown Community Resources (MCR) board member, said they have been in meetings with CCWV. Trumble said they have more meetings planned between CCWV, MCR, the city of Morgantown, and the Morgantown Police Department.
“That was two meetings we had with him last week,” Trumble said. “I think we came away from that with a better understanding of some of the limitations.”
The 2024-25 version of the operation was funded jointly by the city and county and offered 22 beds and was operated by CCWV. The shelter operated from March 15 through December 11 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“We had one last year that was very dysfunctional,” Jacobs said. “There are volunteers that are happy to meet with you and report how it was dysfunctional and how we can do better.”
Sixth Ward Councilor Mark Downs also expressed concern because of a lack of a plan with winter quickly approaching. Mayor Trumble expected to arrange the next set of meetings for the upcoming week.
“I was prepared tonight to ask for a work session on this matter, but considering Mayor Trumble’s report, let’s let that play out,” Downs said.
Downs focused on the importance of having a solution as soon as possible for the estimated 150 homeless people in the community.
“Clearly something happened since we don’t have a solution, and that’s not acceptable,” Downs said. “Because the winter is about to turn, and we should absolutely have this figured out.”