Anthony Jones, left, Dawn Jacobson, center, and Doreen Tighe, right, set up cots before opening the extreme weather shelter for unhoused people at the Santa Cruz County Veterans Memorial Building in Santa Cruz on Jan. 9. (Amaya Edwards — Santa Cruz Local/Catchlight Local)

SANTA CRUZ >> As temperatures are expected to plunge into the 30s come nightfall, Santa Cruz County has approved overnight severe weather shelters for homeless people tonight and Friday.

Shelters will be available 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. the nights of Thursday, Feb. 19 and Friday, Feb. 20. 

In Santa Cruz: 

• Thursday at the Santa Cruz Elks Lodge, 150 Jewell St, near the Santa Cruz Memorial Park cemetery.
• Friday at the Santa Cruz County Veteran’s Memorial Building, 846 Front St. in Downtown Santa Cruz.

In Watsonville, the shelter will be open on the same nights at 8 p.m. at the Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building, 215 E Beach St. in Downtown Watsonville.

Lineup at both locations starts at 7:30 p.m. The shelters are first-come, first-served, and a meal will be provided. Priority is given to people with disabilities and those facing increased health or safety risks. Leashed pets under voice control are allowed.

The severe weather shelters are managed by the Santa Cruz County Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience, and staffed by the nonprofit People First.

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