Most of the Bay Area work up to freezing temperatures and frosted windshields. But for some, this kind of cold can be deadly.
San Jose police is investigating a death outside a 7-eleven on North Winchester in the city, but think the cold weather could be a factor.
With frost and even ice blanketing parts of the Bay Area, officials are insisting the unhoused to find shelter.
The San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing said temporary emergency shelter beds will remain available until Monday.
There are also warming shelters at South Bay libraries and community centers, though not many appear to have taken them up on the offer.
The unhoused response group was working throughout the weekend rain after hearing pleas for help.
"For our unhoused friends, it's been hell," said Shaunn Cartwright, Co-founder of Unhoused Response Group.
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Cartwright picked up another load of warming blankets and heat packs provided by the county that she'll be handing out ahead of another freeze warning.
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"We had people say they used all their clothes as sandbags. We have people say they were hypothermic. People are really, really cold," she said.
She wants local governments to open more overnight shelters as well.
Her volunteer group also holds a memorial for the homeless who've died on the streets in the South Bay over the past year.
They hope they won't have to make any more headstones after the chilling cold this week.
"We've been trying to get as many of these warm things out to people, to help them insulate themselves and keep them alive," she said. "They're just short-hap measures but it's all hands on deck in a situation like this."
Experts are also warning families about record heating costs. The low temperatures are leaving families with no choice but to turn on their heaters regardless of the bill they may get at the end of the month.
“It’s a bit crazy, especially having a dog because I feel I need to keep her warmer than me so yeah the costs are a little bit nuts,” said Livermore resident Justin DiFraia.
According to the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, heating prices are going up 17% on average across the nation no matter how you heat your home.
That’s on top of a 17% increase the year before.
“Two years ago the average cost of home energy was about $890, now it is $1,208, these are the highest prices we’ve seen in 15 years,” said Mark Wolfe.
In California the average cost is about $900.
Because of how unaffordable these bills are becoming, Wolfe says they’re also seeing a 10 to 20% increase in families applying to assistance programs.
“This is the problem, you know there’s a war in the Ukraine, Russia cut of supplies to the rest of Europe, west and Europe countries are looking everywhere they can to buy natural gas, we're now exporting 20% of the natural gas we produce in the United States and that's resulting in much higher prices that's driving the price of home heating with natural gas of course as well as electricity,” said Wolfe.
Energy associations say if you can't pay your bill, don’t hesitate to apply to the federal and state assistance programs.
