The flood already came through. If you need a bed tonight, do not drive toward a rec center because it opened in 2017.
ReadyHarris and City of Houston OEM post the live list. Red Cross Gulf Coast updates its own sites. 211 can confirm a bed if the websites are lagging.
Houstonians often report that a building on the morning TV crawl is already full by lunch. Treat every address as a rumor until you verify it.
Do this now
- Open ReadyHarris and the City of Houston OEM shelter list on your phone.
- Call 211 and ask for an open shelter that matches your zip and pet situation.
- Confirm the site is receiving people tonight before you spend fuel getting there.
- If you are in moving water or trapped, stop shopping lists and call 911.
Who actually publishes a live list
Harris County OEM funnels most county-run and partner sites through ReadyHarris. City of Houston OEM covers city facilities. Red Cross Gulf Coast runs or staffs a subset of those, plus a few of its own.
Do not staple those three together in your head. A city rec center can be a cooling site and not an overnight shelter. A church can be a meal site and not take cots.
If you only check one source, check ReadyHarris, then call 211 and read the address back.
What to ask before you roll
Ask whether they are still accepting people, whether they take pets, and whether they have space for a wheelchair, oxygen, or a crib. Ask about parking if the feeder is still ponded.
Ask if you need an ID. Most intake desks will not turn you away without one, but they will ask.
If the person on the phone cannot answer those, you do not have a confirmed bed.
Verify live. Status changes hourly. Shelter openings, capacity, and pet rules change hourly. Recheck ReadyHarris, City of Houston OEM, Red Cross Gulf Coast, and 211 right before you leave.
Do this next
- What to bring if you have 20 minutes to leave
- Evacuating with no car after street flooding
- Shelters & evacuation hub
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