Our Office is greatly concerned about the inadequacies of the warming shelters and overnight shelters on the far Northwest side and across Chicago. The lack of a consistent 24/7 warming center aside from police stations is alarming and puts people at risk. For basic info on homelessness on the far Northwest side, see HERE.
During the cold, winter season, we want to ensure that all our NW side neighbors, whether housed or unhoused, have access to dry, warm spaces across the 19th District and beyond. Please see below for information on local spaces that serve as warming shelters when temperatures drop below 32°
Note: When the weather drops below 32°, police station lobbies act as warming centers 24/7. If the temp is over 32°, people may wait in police station lobbies after calling 311 and putting in a “service request” for shelter.
Police Stations
- 16th District Police Station at 5151 N Milwaukee Ave in Jefferson Park
- 17th District Police Station 4650 N Pulaski Rd in Mayfair
NW Side Warming Centers
In addition to typical services, Chicago Public Parks, Libraries, Senior Centers and DFSS Service Centers all serve as warming centers during regular business hours when the temperature drops below 32°.
- Merrimac Park — Irving Park Rd & Narragansett in Portage Park
- Dunham Park — Melvina & Giddings in Jefferson Park
- Norwood Park — Natoma & Avondale in Norwood Park
- Independence Park — Springfield & Irving Park Rd in Independence Park
- Kilbourne Park — Addison & Kilbourne in Portage Park
- Hiawatha Park — Addison & Forest Preserve Drive in Dunning
- Gompers Park — Foster & Keeler in Mayfair
- Jefferson Park — Higgins & Long in Jefferson Park
- Portage Park — Irving Park Rd & Long/Central in Portage Par
- Shabonna Park — Addison & Sayre/New England in Dunning
- Rosedale Park — Rosedale & Mulligan in Gladstone Park
- Edison Park Mon — Northwest Highway & Ottawa in Edison Park
- Oriole Park — Oriole & Bryn Mawr in Edison Park
- Olympia Park — Avondale & Ogallah in Edison Park
- Portage Park Senior Center — Long & Irving Park in Portage Park
- Austin-Irving Library — Irving Park & Meade in Portage Park
- Dunning Library — Cornelia & Olcott in Dunning
- Eisenhower Library — Wilson & Oketo in Harwood Heights
- Independence Park Library — Irving Park & Elston in Independence Park
- Jefferson Park Library — Lawrence & London in Jefferson Park
City of Chicago Community Services Centers
All Chicago Community Service Centers are only open Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, with the exception of the Garfield Center, which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for shelter requests. Per the City, the community is welcome to come inside the Garfield Center at 10 S. Kedzie to warm up for short periods of time outside of warming center hours, but will then be directed to the nearest police station for warming after hours.
- North Area Center
- Trina Davila Center
- South Chicago Center
- Englewood Center
- King Center
- Garfield Center (Open 24/7)
- New Life Covenant Church
