Cowlitz County Homelessness: Cold Weather Risk & Public Standards | Longview WA
A Civic Question for Cowlitz County, Washington
At 40 Degrees in the Rain, Shaming Is Not a Policy
Longview, Kelso, & Cowlitz County, Washington | Southwest Washington Homelessness Services
The question is not whether homelessness in Cowlitz County is complicated. It is. The question is whether shaming people experiencing homelessness in Longview and Kelso is an acceptable substitute for solutions in Southwest Washington. It is not.
Key Takeaways: Cowlitz County Cold Weather Homelessness Data
- 108 unique individuals served through Longview and Kelso cold weather shelters, December 2025 - January 2026
- Hypothermia occurs above freezing in wet conditions common to Southwest Washington winter weather
- Public shaming increases danger for people experiencing homelessness in Cowlitz County
- Evidence-based solutions exist for Longview and Kelso businesses and community organizations
The morning after the Super Bowl was not remarkable in Cowlitz County. It was raining across Longview and Kelso. Temperatures hovered in the low 40s. The ground was wet. The kind of winter weather we see throughout Southwest Washington every year.
For most people in Longview, WA, that meant a short walk from a warm car into a school building, an office, or a store. For others experiencing homelessness in Cowlitz County, it meant another full day and night exposed to cold and rain with nowhere dry to go.
That difference matters more than we often admit.
Hypothermia Risk in Longview WA: Cold Weather Danger Above Freezing Temperatures
Public health data from the Washington State Department of Health is clear. Hypothermia does not require snow or subfreezing temperatures in Cowlitz County or anywhere in Southwest Washington.
According to Washington State Department of Health hypothermia prevention guidelines and CDC research on cold weather exposure:
- Hypothermia can occur when core body temperature drops below 95°F, common among people experiencing homelessness in Longview and Kelso.
- Wet clothing from Longview rain and Kelso winter weather dramatically accelerates heat loss.
- Prolonged exposure in temperatures in the low 40s, typical throughout Cowlitz County winter months, can be dangerous within hours.
- Risk increases with fatigue, illness, lack of nutrition, and limited shelter access in Southwest Washington.
These are not extreme conditions. They are routine winter conditions in Cowlitz County, Washington.
Cowlitz County Cold Weather Shelter Data: 108 Individuals Served December 2025 - January 2026
From December 2025 through January 2026, Love Overwhelming served 108 unique, non-duplicated individuals through cold weather shelter operations in Longview and Kelso, Washington.
Of those individuals experiencing homelessness in Cowlitz County:
- 3 individuals were actively renting housing in Longview or Kelso but needed temporary cold weather shelter due to safety or environmental conditions.
- 11 individuals were living in vehicles throughout Cowlitz County at the time they accessed emergency shelter services.
- The remainder were sleeping unsheltered in Longview, Kelso, and throughout Southwest Washington.
Cold weather risk in Cowlitz County does not affect only one type of household. It affects people across the housing instability spectrum in Southwest Washington.
Homeless Harassment in Longview: How Public Shaming Increases Hypothermia Risk in Cowlitz County
During this same winter period, Love Overwhelming received a documented report, supported by written communications and screenshots retained in organizational records, describing a verbal interaction that occurred outside a local Safeway location in Longview, Washington.
As reported, the interaction outside the Longview Safeway involved:
- An unsolicited verbal exchange with an individual experiencing homelessness in Cowlitz County.
- Reference to publicly shared media involving an unhoused individual from Longview.
- A comment perceived by the reporting individual as dismissive and shaming.
- No allegation of physical threat or criminal behavior.
This matters not because of a single comment in Longview, WA, but because of its documented effect on homeless populations in Cowlitz County.
When people experiencing homelessness in Southwest Washington are shamed or harassed while attempting to stay dry and safe during cold, wet conditions in Longview and Kelso, the predictable outcome is displacement. Individuals often move to darker, colder, and more isolated locations throughout Cowlitz County where hypothermia risk increases.
That is not a moral argument about homelessness in Longview. It is a public health risk analysis based on Washington State data.
The Civic Question Cowlitz County Should Be Asking
This is not about attacking a business or an employee in Longview or Kelso. It is about community standards across Cowlitz County, Washington.
The civic question for Longview, Kelso, and Cowlitz County is simple:
Is shaming or harassing people experiencing homelessness in Southwest Washington an acceptable response in our community, especially during cold and dangerous weather conditions common throughout Cowlitz County?
If the answer is no, then the follow-up is unavoidable for Longview and Kelso businesses, residents, and elected officials.
What are the alternatives?
Evidence-Based Solutions for Cowlitz County Homelessness Crisis
We already know what reduces harm for people experiencing homelessness in Longview, Kelso, and Cowlitz County:
- Clear expectations for employee conduct in public-facing Longview and Kelso businesses.
- De-escalation and respectful engagement training for Cowlitz County staff and employees.
- Coordination between Southwest Washington businesses and local homeless service providers like Love Overwhelming.
- Cold weather shelter access in Longview and Kelso during high-risk weather.
- Consistent, humane community standards across Cowlitz County.
What does not work to address homelessness in Southwest Washington:
- Public shaming of individuals experiencing homelessness in Cowlitz County.
- Verbal dismissal of people seeking shelter in Longview or Kelso.
- Pushing people out of visible spaces in Southwest Washington without alternatives.
Those approaches do not reduce homelessness in Cowlitz County. They increase danger and hypothermia risk.
Why This Is a Business, City, and County Issue for Longview and Kelso
Longview and Kelso businesses are not responsible for solving homelessness in Cowlitz County. But they are responsible for how their public spaces are managed and how employees engage with vulnerable populations in Southwest Washington.
Longview, Kelso, and Cowlitz County cities and county government are not responsible for individual behavior. But they are responsible for setting standards and expectations that protect public safety in Southwest Washington.
When winter weather in Cowlitz County combines with public hostility toward people experiencing homelessness in Longview and Kelso, the result is predictable and preventable harm.
A Community Standard Worth Setting in Cowlitz County, Washington
Cowlitz County can choose a standard grounded in data, safety, and basic human dignity for all residents of Longview, Kelso, and Southwest Washington.
At 40 degrees in the rain, the human body responds the same way regardless of circumstance.
Take Action: Support Homeless Services in Cowlitz County
Multiple ways to make a difference for people experiencing homelessness in Longview and Kelso:
Contact Love Overwhelming: admin@loveoverwhelming.org | www.loveoverwhelming.org
Sources & Additional Reading
Washington State Department of Health - Hypothermia Prevention and Cold Weather Guidance
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Cold Weather Exposure and Hypothermia Risk
National Health Care for the Homeless Council - Research on Homelessness and Cold Weather Mortality
Contact Love Overwhelming
Cowlitz Community Based Services | Longview, WA
Cold Weather Shelter Operations | Homeless Outreach | Peer Support | Housing Stabilization
Address: 1422 14th Ave, Longview, WA 98632
Phone: (360) 846-0272
Email: admin@loveoverwhelming.org
Email: chendrickson@loveoverwhelming.org
Website: www.loveoverwhelming.org
Facebook: facebook.com/loveoverwhelming
YouTube: youtube.com/@sircharlesxiii
Service Area: Longview, Kelso, Castle Rock, Woodland, and all of Cowlitz County, Washington + Wahkiukum County, Washington
Disclaimer: This article presents documented reports and public data related to homelessness in Cowlitz County, Washington. No individuals are identified by name. Screenshots and communications referenced are retained in organizational records in accordance with privacy standards and Washington State law. Love Overwhelming is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Longview, Kelso, and Cowlitz County.
Accessibility: Need this content in another format? Contact us at admin@loveoverwhelming.org or call (360) 846-0272.
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