LOWELL — When temperatures start to drop in the city this winter, the City Council wants to be ready with a plan to keep people in need safe. The body will review and consider the implementation of protocol of the heating center to her Tuesday night meeting at the City Hall.

The policy is the result of months of discussion and several alderman motions to keep at-risk populations, such as the homeless, safe.

“In the event of a weather emergency, the Lowell Senior Center located at 276 Broadway Street will be used to provide a safe, temporary space for individuals and/or families, according to the Director of Emergency Management,” the Oct. 25 document states.

The warming station will be staffed by Lowell police and fire personnel, a custodian and, as appropriate, a public health nurse and EMS personnel.

The heating center will be implemented when a severe weather warning is issued by the National Weather Service and will be initiated under the direction of the City Hall, Health Department, Senior Center, LPD and LFD to “confirm the opening and hours of the heating-cooling station . These individuals will continue to meet throughout the event as appropriate and determine when the station will be closed.”

The main discussion for planning the protocol took place at the meeting of August 27 of the board after the body received a petition signed by dozens of residents calling for “the city to provide shelter for people who need it when the weather is too hot or too cold for safety.”

The request was organized by several advocacy groups that have been active on housing and homelessness issues, including Solidarity Lowell, the Merrimack Valley Project and Lifting Lovellians: Assistance and Mutual Aid.

Several members of these organizations addressed the board.

“The least we can do is protect people from extreme and dangerous weather,” said Solidarity Lowell member Ryan Oates. “Expanding our cooling and heating centers is a small but significant first step.”

Several speakers expressed concern about the impact of the closure of the Life Connection Center on the homeless community. When the nonprofit on Appleton Street closed in May 2023, the community lost a sizable drop-in center that stayed open until close to midnight as well as offering bathroom facilities and food programs, a factor Councilman Wayne Jenness noted in remarks its.

“It’s going to be cold nights and there’s going to be less places for people to get out of the cold, like at Life Connection,” he said.

His floor motion in response to the citizen’s petition asked City Manager Tom Golden to build a special plan for this winter.

“We need options and we put price tags on them and make it clear for everyone to know exactly what we’re looking at and what it’s going to cost the city,” Jenness said.

To date, the city has spent about $10 million on support and services for Lowell’s homeless population in recent years, using a combination of the American Rescue Plan Act, Community Development Block GrantsHOME Investment Partnership Program and Emergency Solutions Grant funding.

ARPA was signed into law by President Joe Biden in March 2021. Lowell received a $75.9 million allocation to help with the ongoing pandemic recovery effort. Golden said that services to the homeless population with the city’s funding streams have not only been unmatched by other cities and towns around Lowell, but that those neighboring cities are taking advantage of Lowell’s substantial expansion of homelessness.

“When we opened warming centers at the Senior Center, other cities let people down,” Golden said. “We’re spending the money trying to achieve that goal … but I don’t see other cities doing anything but leaving people at our door. The list of things that we support, I see the city of Lowell doing it — I don’t see anybody else doing it.”

Councilmen John Descoteaux, Rita Mercier and Erik Gitschier spoke about the city’s need for more state and federal support to address the growing homelessness crisis.

“When that ARPA money runs out, we’re all going to be in shock,” Gitschier said. “We can’t give the money we gave him.”

His motion to have Golden send the citizen petition to U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan and the state delegation, requesting resources to help with the costs of homeless services and supports, passed unanimously by roll call.

“This is a homeless emergency,” Mercier said. “That’s what we have right here in this town.”

The City Council meets in the second-floor chambers of City Hall, 375 Merrimack St., on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. To speak at a meeting, contact City Clerk Michael Geary before 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting at 978-674-4161. or [email protected].