DES MOINES, Iowa — Central Iowa Shelters and Services will no longer take in people past its capacity during extreme weather. 

During times of extreme heat and cold Polk County Emergency Management activates its Weather Amnesty Program, which allows shelters in the county to take in people past their capacity. 

Melissa O’Neil, Central Iowa Shelters and Services CEO, said the shelter’s decision is due to the rising costs of weather amnesty, which over a 10-day period in January cost the shelter $100,500.

“Everything from building insurance had a major increase, food had a major increase. The cost of off-duty officers increased and even our overtime for our employees. So, the cost of us doing weather amnesty over a ten day period really was a red flag,” O’Neil said.

O’Neil said that 60% of CISS’s funding comes from federal dollars which are in jeopardy.

“A lot of uncertainty regarding those federal funding streams and two of them in particular that are on the chopping block. And we have no real guarantee that those funds will be here when we need them. And so we just need to make sure that we’re here long term” O’Neil said.

CISS plans to let employees make the final call about letting unsheltered people in during extreme weather. 

“That was a big part of this decision that, yes, we’re going to cap at 150. We’ll have flex for 20 cards honoring those other 2080 agreements and contracts we have in place, but ultimately, we want to make sure that our staff are trained and equipped and empowered to make that ultimate decision, because we really don’t want anybody to die on the streets,” O’Neil said.

CISS plans to continue offering weather amnesty through April. The shelter also plans on cutting its service hours as well as serving breakfast and dinner to those who are not staying at the shelter due to budget constraints.

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