Dozens of homeless people in Volusia County will finally be able to call a new shelter home.
The First Step Shelter in Daytona Beach officially opened its doors Monday to those in need after its ribbon-cutting ceremony last week.
As of Monday afternoon, four people were settled in to spend their first night in the shelter. Officials said they expect 11 people to be check in to stay by the end of the week.
A woman named Linda, who said she’s spent the last six months sleeping on the streets, said she hopes her stay at the shelter will be the beginning of a new start.
“I’m hoping to get a home, a room, a kitchen, a bathroom,” she said.
But finding affordable housing in Volusia won’t be easy, said the shelter’s executive director, Victoria Fahlberg.
“We know in Volusia County there is a huge dearth of affordable housing. So that’s going to be one of our biggest challenges,” Fahlberg said.
According to the Homeless Coalition, there are more than 2,000 homeless people in Volusia and Flagler counties on any given day.
Anyone who comes to the shelter must be referred. The shelter is the first in the county to cater to single men and women.
READ MORE: Daytona Beach homeless shelter opens following years of delays
The opening was pushed back over five times since breaking ground in 2017 due to leadership changes and financial troubles.
The shelter will be able to serve up to 120 people once it’s up and running.
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