The nighttime freezing temperatures Pittsburgh is experiencing pose a unique risk to people experiencing homelessness.

It's especially dangerous because this week is the first time this season temperatures are in the teens, according to Jerrel Gilliam, the executive director of the Light of Life Rescue Mission. People experiencing homelessness often have no idea how frigid it is set to be, as they often lack access to a weather report, Gilliam said. 

"Communication is a challenge," he said. 

It's one of the reasons why Light of Life had an outreach team working Thursday evening to warn people and encourage them to take advantage of services that will bring them inside. Pittsburgh still has a significant homeless population, he said. 

"We're always concerned about that," Gilliam said on Thursday. "And on nights like tonight, what happens is, not only are they out there, but because of the temperatures, it's now dangerous. And now it can be life-threatening if they don't come in or not in a warming shelter. We know with hypothermia, we've had experiences before where we've had people on nights like this who have denied coming in for service, and then they've been found dead the next day."

The trauma they've faced can help prevent them from taking precautions; others are hesitant to leave tents and belongings behind. Another threat, Gilliam said, comes from people attempting to stay warm.

"It seems like here in Pittsburgh, a couple of times a year, there's a fire in a camp because someone is trying to either build a fire and they get too close, or they're trying to use something else to stay warm," Gilliam said. 

For many people experiencing homelessness, the solution isn't easy. But to Gilliam, it's clear. 

"We're just hoping that everyone will come in, out of the cold, and not stay out there. There is no reason for someone to feel like they have no option and they have to stay out. There's always a place for them to come, and we want to get that message out," Gilliam said. 

A Light of Life spokesperson also pointed out that eviction data shows there's a surge of evictions in January. It's a time when people have to choose between paying for rent or paying the heating bill, all leading to additional people without a home.