Shelter staying open until June
A homeless shelter that’s usually open only for the winter will operate until the end of June, for the first time this year, thanks a lack of rental housing.
The Warming Room typically opens November 1 and closes at the end of April every year.
But this year it’s going to stay open for May and June because there’s no place for homeless people to rent in Peterborough.
“We’re trying to give people time to find housing,” said Dorothy Olver, the manager of the homelessness program at the city’s social services department.
The Warming Room is located in the lower level of Murray Street Baptist Church, downtown.
The city covers about half the operating costs; Warming Room Community Ministries fundraises and applies for grants to cover the rest.
Olver said vacancy rates for rental housing in Peterborough are remarkably low.
The vacancy rate for a one-bedroom apartment, for example, is around 1.3 per cent – down from 5.8 per cent, three years ago.
With so few apartments available, Olver said the city has found $25,000 in its budget to continue running the Warming Room for May and June.
That means the matter doesn’t have to come for council for approval, although Olver said a staff report is forthcoming.
Olver said the Warming Room accepted more guests than ever, this winter, for lack of space at other shelters such as the Brock Mission. “They were full,” she said. Christian Harvey, the director of the Warming Room, said there was an average of 24 people staying over every night, in March.
“And we were created to accommodate around 10 people (per night),” Harvey said.
He said it’s been frustrating for people searching for rentals, lately.
“Because the vacancy rate’s so low, landlords can be very selective,” Harvey said.
He said that often means a homeless person is passed over for an apartment because someone else – a student, for example – wanted the same digs.
“People will almost always choose a student over someone who’s homeless,” Harvey said.
Meanwhile the Warming Room is going to need somewhere between 10 and 20 new volunteers to keep running for May and June.
Harvey said some volunteers were students who’ve returned to their hometowns, for the summer. Others are simply tired out from overnight shifts all winter.
Volunteers are asked to do one six-hour overnight shift, once every other week.
Prospective volunteers can sign up online. Harvey said volunteer training sessions are planned for this week, and more training sessions are coming.
For more information, visit www.warmingroom.ca/ warming-room-and-outreach