Tompkins County’s cold weather emergency shelter program faces a nearly 60% reduction in state funding ahead of the coming winter, according to The Ithaca Voice.
The county’s maximum Code Blue allocation fell from $2 million last year to $841,000 this year, a decrease of about $1.16 million.
The state-mandated program requires counties to provide shelter when temperatures remain below freezing for two consecutive hours.
Operating the program cost about $2.1 million last winter, with Tompkins County covering expenses beyond the state allocation and another $100,000 to prepare the facility.
County officials are seeking clarification from the state and plan to present lawmakers with a proposal for adjusting the program next month.
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