DOVER, Del.- Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing will close at the end of January, with plans to relocate and update facilities. Code Purple Kent County worries the responsibility will fall on them.
Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing, located in downtown Dover, has housed thousands of men since 2010. Yet, officials there have been warning it may lose it's 34-bed shelter for the past two years.
Now, the decision has been made. Jeanine Kleimo is the executive chair of Dover Interfaith. She said now that their lease is ending, the Downtown Dover Partnership has other plans for the shelter.
Although Dover Interfaith could extend their lease a few more months, Kleimo believes now is the best time to make the move.
"We want to get the move done and then focus attention on the development of these new facilities," she said.
Kleimo also mentioned how making the move in January will allow other non-profits, that open only during the winter, to help.
"I think that since there is a place for many people to go during the winter that it is better for us to move during the winter rather than at a time when nothing would be available," said Kleimo.
Kent County Code Purple president, Maribel Garcia-Zaragoza, said Dover Interfaith's decision came as a surprise.
"I was very disturbed by the statement," said Garcia-Zaragoza. "I don't understand why the lease was not extended until the end of March to ensure that these men have a place to stay."
She said Code Purple is already at capacity.
"Yes, we are here in the winter months, but we are overwhelmed," she said. "It's a daily struggle to see if we have beds or not and sometimes, because I don't want to leave people out there, we have to reach out to other resources to pay for hotels."
Dover Interfaith will still provide beds in Walt Bagley Hall in Dover during the move.
Kleimo also said she is confident that no one will end up on the streets as a result of this process.