Latest news with #homelessShelter
CBC
5 days ago
- CBC
Victim ID'd in fatal stabbing at North York homeless shelter: police
Toronto police have identified the man who was killed in a stabbing at a North York homeless shelter over the weekend. On Sunday, officers responded to a stabbing at a shelter in the area of Wilson Avenue and Beverly Hills Drive, according to news release from Toronto police. Two men in their 50s were stabbed in the incident, police said. Both were taken to hospital, where one later died. On Friday, police identified the deceased as Roger Borges, 53, of Toronto. A 72-year-old man was arrested and charged with attempted murder and first-degree murder, police said. He was scheduled to appear in court on Monday. Police said the stabbing was the 17th homicide in Toronto this year. Anyone with information is being asked to contact police.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Neighbors distressed over planned homeless shelter in Portland's Pearl District
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Neighbors in Portland's Pearl District will gather Wednesday for a public meeting about a new homeless shelter planned for the area. City leaders confirmed Tuesday they will lease a building on NW Northrup Street, between 14th and 15th avenues, to open a shelter this summer with 40 beds — expanding to 200 by year's end. The city calls the shelter a key step toward getting people off the streets, but some neighbors say they were blindsided and fear it could bring more problems. Michelangelo Navea said the city 'should have asked us first, as a community. Instead of saying, 'Here we're gonna do it,' the city didn't say anything.' Todd Zarnitz, president of the Northwest District Association, said residents feel cut out of the process. 'People take their community seriously here,' Zarnitz said. 'And they've completely been cut out of the process.' He called the city's plan short-sighted and warned it could cause issues in the neighborhood. 'Really what we have is a cancerous drug culture eating the town inside and out,' Zarnitz said. Rob Layne, senior communication strategist for the City of Portland, said, 'These emergency overnight shelters are life-saving interventions, part of the solution to reduce street camping and help move our city's unsheltered population toward stability. We are working closely with local associations and neighbors to address concerns and answer questions as we develop the shelter.' According to the city, it will pay roughly $18,000 a month to rent the building for the shelter. The plan is part of Mayor Keith Wilson's Some neighbors say it's money well spent. Rachel Billington said, 'I think it's good if they're getting people off the street and into somewhere safer.' Whether the plan brings solutions or headaches, neighbors say the conversation is just getting started. 'Being homeless is not a crime,' Navea said. 'But if you put that shelter here, you're gonna see a lot of drug use.' The Salvation Army is reportedly in talks to run the shelter but did not respond to KOIN 6's request for comment. The Northwest District Association is holding a virtual meeting on Wednesday and an in-person meeting on Monday to discuss concerns. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sylvia's House to remain open after winning temporary restraining order
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A temporary restraining order was issued by a State Supreme Court justice on Monday to keep Sylvia's House, a homeless shelter in Buffalo, open, Neighborhood Legal Services announced Wednesday. Sylvia's House, located at 1947 Bailey Ave., was ordered to close last Thursday after the city said it was not permitted to operate as a homeless shelter and needed an inspection. The shelter had been open for around one week and its residents took to protesting last week to voice their opposition. 'The Court found that the balance of equity tips in the favor of Sylvia's House until a full hearing can be conducted,' said Todd Schiffmacher, Neighborhood Legal Services' housing unit supervising attorney. 'The people who use the services at Sylvia's House have little to no other options to find the essential services provided at Sylvia's House. If it closes, many vulnerable people would be forced to live on the streets.' Acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon previously said the closure was due to safety concerns and activity that was 'negatively impacting the neighborhood.' Neighborhood Legal Services said the city never inspected the site, which houses 65 people. The shelter's founder and director, Felicia Cruz, previously said she was not aware that she needed to have a permit. Sylvia's House operates in the rectory of the New Life Harvest Church of God In Christ, which Neighborhood Legal Services said has a special use permit through the city. A statement from Scanlon's office and Buffalo Common Council President Bryan Bollman said the residents were living in 'unsanitary conditions' and that the shelter 'illegally begun using the dilapidated former rectory' as a shelter 'unbeknownst to the city.' Oral arguments will take place on June 27. Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Yahoo
Buffalo homeless shelter ordered to close, residents protest decision
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Buffalo homeless shelter, which the city says was operating illegally, took to its front lawn Friday to protest an order to close due to a lack of proper permits. Sylvia's House, located on Bailey Avenue near Schiller Park, was ordered to close its new location Thursday after only being open for roughly a week. The order, posted on the front door of the shelter, was issued by the City of Buffalo's Department of Permit and Inspections. The order states that the house is not permitted as a homeless shelter and that an inspection is required. The order to close blindsided the shelter's founder and director, Felicia Cruz, who told WIVB News 4 that she didn't know she had to obtain that permitting and that she's willing to do whatever it takes to keep the doors open so the residents she helps don't have to sleep on the street. 'They're telling us we have to leave with no plan,' Cruz said. 'All of these people are going to be back on the streets. Some of them are wheelchair bound, we have about 23 out of the 65 that have medical issues, wheelchair bound, walkers, things like that. Where are we going to put them?' Dozens of the shelter's residents made up signs and took to the front of the shelter along the highway to protest the city's decision, as they shouted in unison, 'Save our house!' Several residents said if they're forced to leave, they will have nowhere to go and will be forced to sleep on the streets — a harsh reality that has some of the shelter's founders devastated and pleading for the city to work with them to keep their doors open. 'I just want communication,' Cruz said. 'I just want help to see how we can push this along and move forward. Shutting down is not the answer. It's not the solution.' Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon responded to the city's order on Friday, saying it comes down to an issue of safety. 'There's some stuff going on over there that we have to make sure that, first of all, the people in the building are safe. That's one of the major concerns — lack of license, permit, things like that, no inspections. So we don't know whether it's even fully safe for people to be in there,' Scanlon said. 'That's the big issue, as well as some additional activity that's been taking place over there that's negatively impacting the neighborhood.' The Mayor's Office, along with council president Bryan Bollman, issued a lengthy joint statement Friday afternoon following the demonstration outside the shelter, saying they 'illegally begun using the dilapidated former rectory at 1947 Bailey Avenue as a sheltering operation unbeknownst to the city.' Their statement went on to state that shelter staff made 'no attempt' to contact or discuss a potential shelter with the city's Department of Permit & Inspection Services, the Mayor's Office, or Council President Bollman's office as the district representative of the impacted neighborhood. 'Over the past several days, dozens of individuals have been living in unsanitary and hazardous conditions that lack basic life safety protections and are putting these individuals lives in danger and at risk, particularly those with disabilities. This type of living environment is not only illegal, it's unacceptable,' the statement read. 'The Cease Operations Order was issued to protect these vulnerable individuals and to ensure that the quality of life for residents in the neighborhood is not further impacted.' The shelter's leaders and staff say they will stay outside the Bailey Avenue location and protest to keep their doors open until the city forces them to leave. Rob Petree is an anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in 2025. See more of his work by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CTV News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Unity Project accuses Coun. Stevenson of using public letter for ‘reputational attack' on homelessness agency
As CTV London's Daryl Newcombe reports, council members admonish a councillor's letter asking for an update on funding for the homeless shelter.
