The Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing (DIMH) is still looking for a new home.
The Interfaith Mission for Housing provides homeless men in the Dover area with shelter and services - but the group’s lease at its current location at Forest Street and Railroad Avenue has run out.
The non-profit’s chair Jeanine Kleimo says an extension allows it to keep operating while it continues searching for a new home.
“We have two one-year extensions," said Kleimo. "So we have clearly executed the first of those two years by paying a lease for the current calendar year.”
The Downtown Dover Partnership (DDP) owns the property - and Kleimo says she met with its “relocation committee” last week. The leading choice is a largely vacant 19,400 square foot facility at 630 W. Division Street.
“We are looking at the Division Street property," said Kleimo. "We’re also looking at one or two other properties, We’ve already gone and visited them. We’re looking at getting an experienced builder into the Division Street property to look at what it would take to convert it.”
Kleimo says that property would require rezoning and - at minimum - installation of a sprinkler/fire suppression system.
Kleimo adds she expect opposition from area residents because the Interfaith Mission for Housing assists ex-offenders, including some on the Sex Offender Registry, but will try to overcome that.
“We run a tight ship. I think that we’ve been an asset to the community and we seek cooperation., said Kleimo. "But we also have to have something that is reasonably priced and possible to be utilized for this purpose (housing and helping the homeless) and we have to be able to put in a sprinkler system if there isn’t one already.”
According to Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen, the latest survey of the homeless population in and around Dover shows there are an estimated 200- to 250 homeless people.
