The Inn from the Cold homeless shelter on Sutherland Avenue is in need of a new location after receiving an eviction notice this past Monday.
The reason for this isn't actually complaints from nearby businesses about the homeless presence. Instead, the building was purchased by a developer, who will be demolishing it and building new senior housing.
“It’s kind of hard to prepare for, but we were expecting it, although we were hoping that we were going to get one more season,” says Executive Director Jan Shulz.
During the cold season from November to April, the shelter has 35 beds available for the homeless population.
While this eviction will come with a set of challenges, such as finding a suitable new location and moving all of the equipment and beds, Shulz is staying optimistic.
“I have total faith that someone out there in Kelowna is going to come to our aid and help us, even if it’s just for a temporary time,” says Shulz.
Depending on how soon they can secure a new location, it's unclear how soon the shelter will be able to accept guests after the eviction takes effect on September 30th.