ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Catholic Family Center is speaking out over a potential uptick in the homeless population.
The shelter is the largest provider of emergency housing in Monroe county.
It believes frigid temperatures, post super bowl gambling losses, and unemployment creates challenges for those already at risk of being homeless.
Right now, the center is seeing about 35 to 45 people per night.
Other small pop-up shelters were forced to close due to COVID-19 outbreaks, putting more pressure on shelters like CFC to house these people.
"It's very scary because of code blue. We are having to limit our occupancy so that we are able to space people appropriately. So my concern is when those groups come in, whether it is now or later in the summer. Because we are expecting the moratorium to continue until at minimum, September. So then we are back in the fall season. So that's when we will expect to see more people come into the shelter system," said Lisa Lewis, vice president of housing and stabilization services at Catholic Family Center.
There is currently a Monroe County homeless shelter task force that works with local officials in developing a plan for the overflow of people during the pandemic.