By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - Homeless people, travelers stranded on the highway and Northern Kentucky residents who lose their heat in the middle of the night will soon have a place to get out of the cold.

A cold and hot weather emergency shelter should open in Covington's Eastside neighborhood by early next year, representatives of local social service agencies said.

It will be located in the newly renovated Elohim Christian Center, an outreach ministry at 1205 Maryland Ave. The short-term shelter would house between 40 and 50 men on the first floor and up to four families on the second floor.

The shelter, located in a rehabbed three-story brick building, would have zero-tolerance rules for alcohol or drug use.

During hot weather emergencies, there are a dozen air-conditioned sites, including senior centers and the Community Action Commission offices, said Jennifer Shofner, chairwoman of the Northern Kentucky Housing and Homeless Coalition.

But options are limited for people who seek shelter in the winter, she said.

Supporters are seeking volunteers to help run the shelter during cold weather emergencies, as well as about $20,000 to cover startup costs and a shelter coordinator, said the Rev. Joseph Andino, senior pastor of Elohim Christian Center.

"This is a great opportunity for companies to support," Rev. Andino said. "There's nothing else like this in Northern Kentucky.''

Although estimates of Northern Kentucky's homeless vary, it's especially hard for men to find emergency shelter in Northern Kentucky because the 14 available beds are almost always filled, homeless advocates said.

Supporters had hoped to get the new shelter open before cold weather hit this winter, Ms. Shofner said. However, a building inspection turned up thousands of dollars worth of potential health and safety violations that had to be corrected.

Elohim Ministries, which has spent about $20,000 this year to renovate its Maryland Avenue building, got a conditional occupancy permit Thanksgiving week.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com