KANSAS CITY, Mo. — City leaders voted to expand Kansas City’s extreme weather plan as temperatures dropped drastically across the metro Thursday afternoon.

Kansas City Council members unanimously approved adding 154 beds at five shelters across the city.

The additional beds will allow agencies to help even more houseless people and families through the coldest part of the year.

The city began the collaborative last winter, helping organizations work together effectively to better serve the houseless during the winter.

The response will be available Dec. 1 through Feb. 28, when certain criteria are met. That includes when the temperature stays or drops below freezing or if shelters are close to reaching capacity. It also allows community centers to open and be used as shelters if other options are already at capacity.

There is also a Houseless Shelter Dashboard to help everyone keep track where beds are available.

Kansas City also has established a centralized donation center with storage at HomeFaith Ministries. It’s at that location so groups in charge of street outreach at homeless camps and grab items to get it to those who decide to stay out in the elements.

The city is also partnering with the KCATA on bus transportation to help people get to and from shelter locations.