With record high temperatures expected in Austin this week, the City of Austin’s Homeless Strategy Office is pushing targeted messages to people experiencing homelessness to ensure they know where they can go to stay cool.

The forecast this week calls for highs in the high 90s, which could be record breaking for mid-May.

The City of Austin has long maintained Cooling Centers which are available during the summer months for people to escape the heat and cool down. City facilities, including branches of Austin Public Library and Park and Recreation’s rec centers, can be used as Cooling Centers.

These facilities are meant to serve as a temporary reprieve from the heat during normal operating hours. Service animals, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, are allowed in City facilities.

To review the current list of Cooling Centers, locations and hours of operations, please visit: austintexas.gov/alerts.

HSO sent a text message to the more than 3,500 people signed up to its text alert system, urging precaution and advising those who need it on how to find a Cooling Center. The office also sent information through a listserv that includes multiple service providers for people experiencing homelessness, as well as organizations and volunteers who work to assist people experiencing homelessness.

To learn more about homelessness in Austin, please visit www.austintexas.gov/homelessness.