Family Promise of Ontario County is taking strides to address the growing homelessness crisis by proposing an emergency shelter in Canandaigua.
The shelter aims to accommodate six to eight families, addressing the rising homelessness, which has surged by 215% in Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, and Yates counties since 2007.
With the Canandaigua City Planning Commission’s preliminary approval on November 8, the project moves a step closer to reality.
However, further formal approvals are needed.
The shelter will be located at 495 N. Main St., in a historical building known as Cobblestone Manor, dating back to the 1830s. The project, a collaboration between Family Promise and the Molly and Ed Shill Cares Foundation, involves renovating the three-story home, which has been vacant.
Reaction to the project has been mixed, with some residents reaching out to FingerLakes1.com over the last week expressing concern over the placement of the homeless shelter.
Local officials believe this shelter will be the first of several in the county, aiming to address the extensive homelessness issue with comprehensive and long-term solutions.
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