Homeless but hopeful: Shelter search underway for men displaced by Waterloo fire

House of Friendship executive director John Neufeldsays the organization faces a significant challenge in the days ahead as it searches for a new shelter space.

There were 130 men staying at the Inn of Waterloo until a fire, estimated to have caused $1 million in damage, displaced them. Most of the men were moved to a temporary location in Guelph.

"It was nothing short of a miracle to find a new shelter location for the men, many with health issues, within an hour of the call for help going out," Neufeld said.

But the goal is to return those men to a location in Kitchener-Waterloo; a task that is proving difficult.

"We've been essentially doing this for almost over a year now. We've been going from pillar to post, you know, from the beginning of the pandemic. This is now our third move," Neufeld said.

"It's a very challenging, frustrating at times, process because there's lots of different complications. It's not just as simple as finding one location. You got to take in the needs of the individuals we're serving."

Neufeld says for the men in Guelph, the focus is on having them return to the community as soon as possible.

"I think we're just trying to plan ahead as best as possible.We've learned some really important lessons this year," Neufeld.

"We have to continue integrating health care into shelters so that people can get housed and have the appropriate support moving forward."

Fire officials continue to investigate the fire on the second floor of the hotel in the north part of Waterloo. The location has been left uninhabitable from the fire, smoke and water damage.

Some of the men who were in self-isolation from COVID-19 were moved to St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener to continue their quarantine.