Local homeless shelter faces capacity issues amid cold weather and Omicron

EL PASO, Texas– With dropping temperatures and rising Covid-19 cases, the deputy director of the Opportunity Center says his shelter is facing capacity issues.

Deputy Director John Martin tells ABC-7 that with the rise in cases, quarantine hotels administered by the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) are now full. The quarantine hotels are used to house those with COVID-19 until they are negative and then they can be sent back to the shelter. 

This now forces the shelter to isolate residents on site, causing even more capacity issues during a season when they see more people coming into the center. Martin calls it the “perfect storm.”

Having to designate one room for quarantine, he said they no longer have room to accept new intakes at this time. The Rescue Mission of El Paso has stepped in to help receive those intakes for the time being. 

Along with capacity issues, COVID-19 has also caused a staff shortage at the center. 

He said without staff to work the kitchen, they rely on groups to drop off food to the center to get people fed. 

“It's a very difficult time for us at this point, I don't really know how else to quantify that at this point in time, but to a great degree it is a perfect storm, you’ve got the temperatures and you got Covid and they’ve just come together at this time,” said Martin. 

With the help of the OME, the center has access to rapid testing, using nearly 100 tests a day, along with the option of getting a vaccine. 

Martin said the center is also taking safety precautions like frequent temperature checks and keeping people as separated as possible. 

Sara Diaz, a woman living in the center, said she feels safe with these precautions.

“COVID really there's none, like he said they isolated it really quick, they are real picky, they check all the time,” she said.

Still, Diaz said she is grateful she has somewhere to sleep during this winter season.

“I’m thankful and I'm blessed that the opportunity center has me here and gave me that opportunity and hasn’t thrown me out into the streets,” Diaz said.