The tragic death of a homeless man in Charleston raises urgent questions about the city’s warming center policies and their effectiveness.

The man was discovered under the Spring Street Bridge on January 11, and while the cause of death is still being investigated, officials confirmed it wasn’t due to violence. He had been at a warming center earlier in the week but was unable to find shelter the night before he died.
Local service providers noted that the warming center didn’t open that Friday night, leaving him without a safe place to stay. Amy Wolfe, CEO of Manna Meal, mentioned he was a regular at their soup kitchen and didn’t show up that day.
The city has a contract with the Kanawha Valley Collective to manage warming centers, which are supposed to open when temperatures drop to 20 degrees or below. However, the threshold was raised in 2023, and many are questioning if this is adequate.
Mayor Amy Goodwin expressed her sadness over the man’s death and emphasized the need for community efforts to support vulnerable individuals. The warming center had been open earlier in the week due to a winter storm but closed the night before the man was found.
The weather forecast had been inconsistent, leading to confusion about whether to open the center. City officials are now discussing how to improve the situation, including possibly lowering the temperature threshold for opening warming centers.
City Council members are advocating for more funding and resources to address the homelessness crisis, as the current number of shelter beds falls short of the need. They believe that while warming centers are a temporary fix, more long-term solutions are necessary to help those in need.