The new transitional cabins site in Chatham is full.
Chatham-Kent (CK) Council was given an update at its meeting on Monday night.
Councillors heard 50 cabins are now fully occupied and there's currently a waiting list of 15 people.
CK Manager of Homelessness Prevention Services Jennifer Crowell said the move went smoothly, with nine dwellers moving from the Chatham encampment and 37 moving from the Victoria Park Place (VPP) homeless shelter in Chatham.
"The transition to the cabin program from the VPP I think has been really successful. There were a couple of minor glitches that we dealt with as we moved through, but essentially the move was a smooth as we could possibly have asked for it to be," said Crowell.
Crowell said there's already a sense of togetherness at the cabins site.
"I can tell you that there's a real sense of community. There's a real sense of gratefulness for individuals who are staying there. As an example, one of the individuals who hasn't had access to a kitchen in a long time made a pot of chilli and shared it with the other individuals who are staying there," Crowell said.
The emergency shelter closed last month, and the $3.8 million cabins project replaced the homeless shelter at Victoria Park Place in Chatham.
Each cabin is approximately 100 sq. ft. and includes a bed, a fridge, and a microwave. Everyone staying in the cabins will also have access to a shared kitchen, shared bathrooms, and a community room.