SPOKANE, Wash. — God's Love International opened its doors this August to homeless men, women and families.
The shelter, at the corner West Second and Monroe Street, received a letter from code enforcement Thursday ordering them to shut down. Code enforcement says Pastor Ronald Nelson, who owns and operates the shelter, failed to correct several code and safety violations.
"We have done everything that we can do to meet what they have told me to do and they keep saying that we haven't," Nelson said.
Among the violations listed: serving food without the approval from the Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD). The building was previously used as an office and is not up to code for residential or shelter use.
Nelson provided KREM 2 a copy of a letter the city sent last week, which gave home until Oct. 14 to make the necessary changes. But, after a visit from the Fire Marshal Wednesday night, a serious fire code violation was discovered and Nelson was ordered to shut down by 5 p.m. Friday.
"I don't know where we're going to go right now," Nelson said.
Dozens of people packed up and left Thursday night. Eight made it to the Trent shelter which later closed its doors to walk-ins after four people tested positive for COVID. The city says they are being isolated for now, and depending on what health officials say, the Trent shelter may accept walk-ins again by Friday.
But, for one mom and her 10-year-old daughter, that won't help much since minors aren't allowed in. She said God's Love International helped them get into a stable routine.
"That leaves us with no other options," the mother said. "The other shelters, I can't go with a child, most of them. There may be one where we have to split up and she can go."
Nelson is also wondering where he'll go. He sold his house in Deer Park to open the shelter.
"I put $103,000 down on it and I put $30,000 into getting all the stuff and renovation," Nelson said.
He's sleeping there too.
"When tomorrow comes, I'm going to be as homeless as the rest of these guys are," Nelson said.
The city says Nelson would be able to reopen the shelter, but only after he fixes all the violations and inspectors give him the green light.
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