Homeless shelter in wealthy area upsets some Parisians

A new shelter for homeless people is preparing to open in a wealthy district of Paris, a move that's hailed by those who need a home, but upsetting some who already live in the area. Diane Hodges from Reuters reports. Reporter, Reuters, Diane Hodges <<< This fence is dividing Parisians, between those who want a homeless shelter in this wealthy area of the city, and those who don't, people like this man. He says he's shocked that officials would build a homeless shelter here, and insists that are already plenty of empty places for the needy to live. Not true, says the project's director, Jerome Flot, who says the government currently puts tens of thousands of homeless people up in hotels. >>> "AURORE" DIRECTOR ,HOMELESS CENTER, JEROME FLOT <<< "The figures are rather alarming since today those housed in hotels total around 35,000 people every day, in 600 hotels in the greater Paris region." The new center in the 16th arrondissement will only have space for 200, but organizers say many of them will be families with children. The largely state-financed center is intended to house residents for a period of three to six months as a step before they find more permanent housing. Still, some residents have contested the construction of the center, including the local mayor. And the center has caught fire four times since construction began, in what officials suspect were arson attacks. But the organizers pressed on and construction is nearly finished. The center is scheduled to open sometime next month.