More than 16 months later, the Long Branch and Gwendolyn Coffield recreation centers are still serving as shelters, an increasingly uneasy arrangement as Montgomery reopens and the pandemic persists.

At Coffield, which houses women, clients have reported mice, mold and leaks. At Long Branch, which houses men, staff members have fielded complaints from community members who want their recreation center back. Families returned to the public pool opposite Long Branch over the summer, with children streaming past the gym where 70 or so men take refuge.”