Huron County is attempting to connect the vulnerable population with long-term housing as they run the emergency shelter program out of a motel this winter.
Operating in partnership with the CMHA Huron Perth Addictions and Mental Health Services, the shelter offers wrap-around support to go with nightly rooms.
So far, 32 different individuals have used the program since it began on November 1, 2023.
Elise Metcalf, Director of Housing and Congregate Care with CMHA Huron Perth, says the response to the motel setting has been good.
"The feedback from the participants has been very positive," Metcalf said. "Just anecdotally, some of the things that I've heard is a place to be able to leave (their) belongings for a period of time, that sense of safety has increased. Being able to engage service providers, most of whom don't work midnights and weekends, that was a limitation to us in the past."
Erin Schooley, Homelessness Programs Supervisor with the County, says the motel model is on track to assist a similar number of people as the program did when it operated out of Lakeshore Church.
Space is limited for the motel, and the waitlist currently sits at around 17 people.
Schooley says there's currently no plan to expand shelter space next winter, as Huron County looks to address the housing crisis in other avenues.
"The County, we will look at this program on an annual basis to determine how its meeting the local needs and where things are trending, we'll look to the data to help inform the decisions we are making," said Schooley. "The County would prefer to make investments in permanent supportive housing options that look to end long-term homelessness, rather than increasing the number of short-term response measures. Really the only solution that ends homelessness is to house people permanently."
She pointed to the efforts the County has made in the past years to bring affordable units to Goderich and Exeter.
The Out of the Cold shelter will remain open until April 30.
Those needing access to the Emergency Shelter are invited to call (519) 525-5922 between Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to complete screening for eligibility, conduct an intake and arrange transportation, if required.