Tompkins County will use hotel placements for qualifying cold-weather emergencies before its Cherry Street shelter reopens Nov. 15, the Department of Social Services announced.
The shelter at 227 Cherry St. in Ithaca will open at 4 p.m. that day and provide round-the-clock services through April 15, 2027. Volunteers of America Upstate New York will operate the facility, offering overnight shelter, a daytime warming center, case management, food, showers, laundry and transportation.
Code Blue is activated when temperatures, including wind chill, are expected to fall below 32 degrees for at least two consecutive hours. The county will also use hotel placements as needed after the Cherry Street season ends.
The reopening comes after a sharp reduction in state support.
Deputy County Administrator Bridgette Nugent reported to legislators in August that the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance had allocated $841,000 for the 2026-27 season, nearly $1.2 million less than the previous year.
County officials said the loss would significantly affect the services available during the winter. The allocation was down from $2 million, a reduction of about 58%.
Social Services and Volunteers of America said they are coordinating staffing and operations to preserve shelter services and will reassess needs throughout the season.
People seeking emergency shelter can visit Social Services at 320 W. State St. in Ithaca or call 607-274-5030 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
After hours, on weekends and on holidays, people should call nonemergency dispatch at 607-272-2444 to reach Social Services on-call staff.
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