BOISE, Idaho — The Interfaith Sanctuary Shelter will hold off on submitting its application for a new shelter location on State Street to the city of Boise, according to an email.
The application will not be sent in until an in-person open house is held for those located within 300 feet of the new site.
Shelter director Jodi Peterson-Stigers initially planned to submit an application for the property, the old Salvation Army site on State Street, to the city on Feb. 23. Closing was expected to be completed by the end of March 2021.
The team at Interfaith is working to schedule an in-person open house in March 2021. Written notices will be sent to all residents within 300 feet of the site and existing COVID-19 precautionary measures will be followed.
Interfaith is not required to hold an open house for neighbors but has made the decision to do so "in addition to the prior extensive outreach that has occurred," according to an email from Interfaith.
Interfaith held a virtual meeting on Feb. 10 in regards to the proposed new shelter site at the old Salvation Army building on State Street.
Peterson-Stigers answered questions from Boise locals and neighborhood residents about the proposed move. Questions ranged from safety concerns, resource allocation, cost, and longevity of the new site.
To watch the full meeting from Feb. 10, click here:
Peterson-Stigers told KTVB that the plan is to begin renovations later this spring on a building at 4306 West State Street. She added the shelter's current location, at 1620 W River Street in downtown Boise, is simply too small, especially given social distancing requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic.