Public and council raise concerns about shelter capacity, camping ban enforcement and cooling shelter needs

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Public commenters and council members on July 1 pressed Morgantown leaders to address shelter capacity, the effects of the city’s camping ban and the lack of a dedicated cooling shelter for extreme heat.

Lindsey (no last name provided), a resident and small-business owner, told council volunteers are providing daily hydration stations for people on trails but said that ad hoc efforts are unsustainable. She urged more public restrooms, durable outdoor hydration infrastructure, bike racks and storage and a designated cooling shelter rather than relying on volunteers and private businesses. “I’m a for‑profit business and … I am not a public service provider,” she said, urging the city to plan shelter and cooling services proactively.

Council discussion and subsequent remarks by council members and service‑provider representatives expanded on those concerns. Councilors described gaps in shelter capacity and noted the implementation challenges of enforcing the camping ban without adequate housing alternatives. One councilor noted Catholic Charities’ Grace Shelter is planning to add 15 beds but needs funding; they also said Catholic Charities and partners are pursuing grants to build out additional transitional beds and that one H3 facility area remains uninhabitable because of roof damage from a recent microburst.

Council members and staff said outreach is underway with partners including Catholic Charities and the United Way; several councilors emphasized that enforcement of camping restrictions must be paired with practical shelter offers and funding to avoid displacing people without solutions. One councilor warned that some offers of shelter being reported were not accessible (for example, located out of town), which raises questions about whether those offers meet the city’s criteria for available shelter in practice.

Speakers asked the council to prioritize funding, partnerships with the county and WVU, and rapid steps to increase shelter beds and cooling space ahead of summer heat. No formal council action was taken at the meeting; council members said staff and community partners are working on grant applications and capacity expansions and that they expect further briefing and requests for funding in coming weeks.

(Ending) Councilors requested updates from staff and partner agencies on specific shelter‑expansion grant opportunities and on how proposed bed additions would be funded and operated; members said they will continue follow-up with service providers and county partners.