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The city health department is concerned about Houstonians who are at home all day in the summer, but are without air conditioning.
Anyone who finds themselves in that situation can go to 1 of 11 multi-service centers and cool off in an air conditioned building. This is the health department’s Porfilio Villarial .
“There are some people who refuse to leave their home, even though they don’t have air conditioning. So we want to make sure that people take the initiative and go check on them.”
Villarial says the city wants to spread the word that the centers are available. He says the number of people who use the centers too cool off is usually pretty low.
“Two or three here and there at every different multi-service center, so sometimes we may even get six, but it’s just off and on as the summer goes on. We don’t get a lot of influx, because most people opt to go to a library or shopping mall.”
He knows the multi-service centers aren’t the most exciting place to be. But when the temperature is over 100 — he says staying in a hot residence can be dangerous, especially for the elderly who are more likely to be at home in the first place.
City of Houston Multi-service Centers (MSC), (Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.)
- Acres Homes MSC, 6719 W. Montgomery, 713.694.9274
- Denver Harbor MSC, 6402 Market St., 713.670.2143
- Northeast, 9720 Spaulding, 713.491.5500
- Southwest MSC, 6400 High Star Dr., 713.778.6500
- Sunnyside MSC, 4605 Wilmington St., 713.732.5030
Click here for a map.