February’s subzero temperatures in Billings has made it challenging for residents to stay warm. That is especially true of the unhoused that spend their days and some the nights on the streets.
There are at least two places downtown open to those needing a place to seek shelter from the cold.
On this day Robert found a warm place to hang out at Billings First Congregational United Church of Christ on North 27th:
“Well, when it’s cold at the mission you’ve got two choices: if you leave in the morning you’re out until 5 o’clock but you have to have a plan if you do that. They won’t let you back in there’s too much riff raff.”
There’s a sign on the snowy sidewalk outside the church’s entrance letting people know it is open and can come in to warm up, relax and get a cup of coffee.
“I try to find….I call friends, call my family, call my sister to tell them I’m ok because they don’t like my situation,” explained Robert.
Just a couple of blocks away is the Billings Public Library where those seeking refuge from the cold can spend a few hours. And just a half block from the church and behind the Yellowstone Art Center is Off the Streets at the 4th Avenue Inn and its Community Room.
Eric Rosenlund used to go to the library when he was staying at the Rescue Mission. Now he’s staying warm at Off the Streets.
“Here I do a lot of volunteering. This gal here permitted me a bed. I spent a few days volunteering. I cooked lunch today, I cooked lunch yesterday,” commented Eric.
Monica Reed is another one of the half dozen people in the Community Room on this late morning. She is, like Eric, living there.
“Well, I’m going to school right now,” Monica said. “And if I don’t have to be out in the cold then I just stay in the commons room doing my homework or stay in my room and watch a movie.”
Monica explained she had been living on the streets, just behind here current location.
“Before I got into this place I was on the streets. And , um, I was staying right behind this building in a sleeping bag. I had a 20 below sleeping bag. I kept warm,” Monica explained.
Monica, Robert and Eric commented there are not a lot of places to go to get out of the cold: the library, the church, 4th Avenue Inn, The Rescue Mission, The Crisis Center.
Morgan Satterfield is the executive administrative assistant at the Billings First Congregational Church, a position she’s held for six years. She said there just are not enough places for the unhoused to go.
“There are very limited places. A lot of places downtown they don’t allow the guests the homeless to use the restroom. No there’s not enough places,” Morgan shared.
Eric said it would be nice to have a place where they can randomly chill throughout the day to get out of the cold.
“There is really no place for us to go,” Eric explained. “We have the library, we got here and we’ve got the mission. But each place has its own set of rules which are a little bit different than the others….I mean we’re are pretty free and clear when we’re at the library. The mission has a plethora of rules. These guys have rules but they are pretty easy to abide by.”
More subzero temperatures were forecasted when many city residents would continue to seek warmth before daytime temps return to “normal winter cold”.
