What is Code Blue Albany?

Code Blue Albany (CBA) is an outreach, transportation, and shelter protocol to engage, transport, and shelter homeless people in the City of Albany who might otherwise remain unsheltered during periods of extreme winter weather.

CBA protocols are in place between November 15 and March 15.

A Code Blue alert is called when the temperature is expected to be 32 degrees or less and/or 12 inches of snow is expected. Wind chill is a factor that is also considered when determining whether or not to declare a Code Blue alert.

Principles: Humanitarian Assistance – our goal is to prevent unsheltered homeless people from experiencing threats to life and health from exposure to severe winter weather.

Low Demand: Routine agency eligibility determinations, screenings, program participation expectations, and service requirements and engagement are suspended and/or amended in the interest of removing any perceived barriers to accepting emergency shelter.

CBA is a success. Albany area shelters provide roughly 8,000+ bed nights to homeless households in crisis on an annual basis. In addition to shelter, homeless individuals and families are fed and clothed.

Several adults served by CBA permanently left the streets and were connected to long-term housing solutions.

HATAS does not operate any of the organizations listed below. Our role is to serve as the Code Blue Coordinator in Albany and we’re blessed and humbled by the work done by our partners in service.

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Participating Agencies:

• Albany County Coalition on Homelessness
• Albany County Department of Mental Health
• Albany County Department of Social Services
• Albany Fire Department
• Albany Outreach Van
• Albany Police Department
• Albany Public Library
• Capital Area Council of Churches Emergency Overflow Homeless Shelter
• Capital City Rescue Mission
• Capital District Transportation Authority
• CARES of NY, Inc.
• Catholic Charities Housing Office
• City of Albany
• Homeless and Travelers Aid Society (Code Blue Coordinator)
• IPH
• St. Anne Institute Youth Shelter
• Veterans Administration Homeless Outreach Team