Youth Without Shelter is promising to maintain existing tenancies at 556 Bathurst St., while moving unhoused high school and secondary students into vacant units.
When Steve Doherty first saw the brick residence at 556 Bathurst St., with 24 bedrooms inside, he saw its potential to house young city-dwellers fighting not to fall through the cracks.
For nearly a year, Doherty and his team at the charity Youth Without Shelter had been looking for a property like this: somewhere they could expand an existing program that offers a safe bed, supports and scholarships to homeless 16-to-24-year-olds in full-time schooling. Each time they found a small site, they lost out to other bidders often with loftier redevelopment goals.
