The housing crisis is putting pressure on a local women’s shelter.
The Boundary Women’s Coalition runs a six bed transition house in Grand Forks for women and children facing violence and being homeless.
Executive Director Meghan Hatley told council last week stays are getting longer.
“Our transition house is often full. It’s usually a 30 day stay. We are seeing stays longer and longer and longer due to the housing crisis,” Hatley said.
She says women are staying 90 days to as long as four months in some cases.
The shelter also has second stage housing with 10 townhouses at Raven Place on 19th Street.
Stays there are getting longer too.
“Up to a year we say, but again, we’re seeing longer and longer stays because of the lack of housing. We will typically not ask a woman to leave second stage housing if they are following the program, paying their rent and it’s just a case of them not being able to secure a place,” Hatley explained.
The coalition was updating council on its new website and programming.
The non-profit organization has been serving Boundary Region since 1986.