Out of cold, into housing

Photo: Alanna Kelly

A man waits at Inn from the Cold on Jan. 8, 2019 in Kelowna.

BC Housing is working to help find homeless people sleeping at Inn from the Cold a new home. 

Inn from the Cold, located off Sutherland Avenue, has spent the past few months looking for a new location after their lease ran out, but have not found anywhere to move. 

Everyone at the shelter will need to be out by Jan. 31, but BC Housing’s Interior regional director Ann Howard says they are working with Inn from the Cold to keep people off the streets. 

“We are hoping that people will start moving out even now to other shelters and then by the week of January 23 Heath House would be open to start taking new clients,” she said. 

“That will open up the flow in all of the shelters and a number of people staying at Inn from the Cold.”

Howard says there is a very large need for housing in Kelowna and shelters are not the long term answer to homelessness. 

“Our approach is to build more housing,” she said. “Housing is the answer, not shelters. That is where we are putting a lot of focus and energy.”

Other agencies in Kelowna are working together to find a home for the people who have been staying at the shelter. 

“When there becomes a vacancy they are going offer vacant beds at other shelters to those clients staying at Inn from the Cold,” said Howard. 

A waitlist is being created for Heath House, as Howard noted everyone has been selected. 

Heath House will be located at the former Good Night Inn off Highway 97 and has 42 units.

Inn from the Cold has declined to comment.