An alternative plan to help house Kankakee County’s people who are homeless is now in place.

Kankakee-based Fortitude Community Outreach announced plans to help shelter people who are homeless in the coming months despite having its own shelter plans recently rejected by a 12-0 Kankakee City Council vote.

Even though Fortitude did not gain its needed conditional use permit to operate an overnight shelter at its 970 E. Court St. location at the Sept. 15 city council meeting, and acknowledging it would not be putting its 19-bed mobile shelter into service this season, an alternative plan has been put in place.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Fortitude leadership said it would implement a system labeled a “hotel shelter model.”

In short, through its funding source, Fortitude will partner with an unnamed hotel to rent a block of rooms at a discounted rate.

The hotel is equipped with kitchenettes, full breakfasts and access to public transportation.

The hotel location and name are not being made public, pending finalization of a contract, said Dawn Broers, Fortitude’s founder and executive director.

Broers is hopeful the night shelter could begin mid-October or November. She said the goal would be for this arrangement to carry through April if it has enough grant funding to do so.

Those gaining lodging at the hotel will be required to meet three criteria:

· Have what Fortitude leadership termed a “realistic plan” for future housing

· Demonstrate measurable progress toward their housing goals

· Regularly report to the Fortitude office several evenings a week to work with case managers

“This is not a perfect plan and lacks the unique benefits of a 24/7 shelter, but we are so grateful we can continue to serve in some capacity!” the post read.

Mid-October shelter?

Plan details are being completed. Fortitude will begin offering these services as soon as the first-floor renovations at the 970 E. Court property are complete and approved by Kankakee building inspectors.

Fortitude administration said daytime walk-up services will be held at the first-floor service window at its East Court location from 1-4 p.m. weekdays.

Help for those seeking resource access, case management and completion of applications for housing assistance can be gained.

Fortitude will also offer evening services at the site from 4-8 p.m. daily. These services include showers, laundry, dinner and case management.

The agency had been planning to offer night shelter at its new site. However, after the Kankakee Planning Board approved the conditional use permit to allow the night-shelter plan in late August, the council rejected it in large part because of its issue with first wanting to see day services put in place.

Broers has been seeking a permanent location for its program and night shelter for several years, but with little success.

Fortitude purchased the East Court property – it had been the home of the Kankakee County Health Department many years ago – and worked on site renovations for about a year.

The goal is to make it something of an all-in-one location for those in need of services and emergency living assistance, including a night shelter.