City Expands Code Blue Winter Measures With $25 Million
New York City adds 800 beds, 300 canvassers and 20 warming buses after more than two dozen deaths during last winter's freezing stretch.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Severe Weather
Live Poll
Do you trust your city government to protect homeless residents during winter?
The City of New York announced expanded Code Blue winter measures and $25 million in new funding to protect homeless and vulnerable residents during freezing temperatures. The changes follow a winter in which more than two dozen people died outdoors or in their homes.
Why it matters
Last winter more than two dozen people died outdoors or in their homes during a stretch of freezing temperatures, prompting the expanded response. The measures aim to reach people before cold weather becomes dangerous across New York City.
The city is adding $25 million, 800 beds and 300 canvassers, with Code Blue activating below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The announcement does not say how many people the expanded outreach is expected to reach or how many of the new beds will be occupied.
The players
City of New York
New York City is the most populous city in the United States, and its government administers the homeless services and sanitation programs involved in this response.
Department of Homeless Services
The New York City agency responsible for shelters, outreach and warming centers for homeless residents, which will open four additional warming centers and deploy 20 warming buses.
The details
Street canvassers will reach out to every homeless person they meet rather than focusing on a list of at-risk individuals. More than 50 mobile vans run by the city's public hospital system will provide medical care and transportation to warming facilities, and the sanitation department purchased its first snow blowers to clear bus stops and crosswalks.
Timeline
Last winter: more than two dozen people died during a stretch of freezing temperatures.
Monday, November 9, 2026: The city announced the expanded Code Blue changes and $25 million in funding.
This winter: The expanded Code Blue measures and additional outreach take effect.
Seasonal Patterns
The expansion builds on New York City's Code Blue protocol, which activates when temperatures fall below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and follows a winter in which freezing temperatures contributed to more than two dozen deaths. The added beds and outreach extend that existing cold-weather framework rather than replacing it.
New Yorkers who see a homeless person in freezing conditions can alert street canvassers and outreach teams, who will reach out to every person they meet. Residents should also expect added warming buses and warming centers to be available during cold snaps this winter.
The takeaway
Cold-weather protection in New York City now relies on reaching people before temperatures drop, not only on opening shelters after an emergency. Residents who know where warming centers and outreach teams operate can help reduce the risk of exposure during freezing stretches.
Further reading
For more on how cold snaps affect the city, see Severe Weather coverage for New York City.
Live Poll
Do you trust your city government to protect homeless residents during winter?
