New Hope Mission homeless shelter approved in southeast Edmonton

The Hope Mission is opening a new 120-bed homeless shelter in southeast Edmonton.

A rezoning application for the site near Argyll Road and 75 Street was approved at a city council public hearing on Tuesday.

The Hope Mission has been looking to expand their services as the need for more spaces grows, and is aiming to open the permanent, 24/7 shelter in time for winter.

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The application was met with worry from community members about the possibility of increased social disorder and crime, based on experiences in other areas of the city — along with concerns about whether there are appropriate amenities are nearby.

City councillors also questioned if the property in an industrial area is the right location, but acknowledged adding overnight beds elsewhere is one way of achieving the goal of decentralizing all social services from the inner city.

The shelter will be located in the organization’s current warehouse on Girard Road, which serves as a central hub for Hope Mission operations and administrative staff, as well as houses its Second Chance thrift ship.

Jasmine King has more details in the video above.