Linn County winter weather shelter to open Saturday

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Linn County overnight winter weather shelter is set to open Saturday as a “last resort” for those seeking shelter during the winter months.

The shelter, located at 1017 12th Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids, will open nightly starting at 4 p.m. Saturday and running through March 31. The shelter will be open from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 4 p.m. Sunday through noon on Monday.

This year, the facility has undergone a series of renovations to increase space and improve safety. Those improvements — which totaled roughly $1 million — were funded by Linn County using American Rescue Plan Act funding.

The building now has a new fire alarm and sprinkler system, an elevator that allows for use of the second floor and an accessible ramp entrance, among other improvements.

Linn County owns the building and shares operational costs with the city of Cedar Rapids. The Housing Fund for Linn County contracts for the service provider at the facility. For more information on the shelter and its operations, visit the Linn County Winter Weather Shelter website.

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