Temporary shelter closes for Drake Hotel survivors

A fire broke out at the Francis Drake Hotel apartment building in downtown Minneapolis on Christmas Day. (FOX 9)

It's been nearly a month since the Christmas Day fire at the Francis Drake Hotel in downtown Minneapolis displaced 272 people. Wednesday marked the deadline for those impacted to move out of the emergency Red Cross shelter that had been running inside the First Covenant Church.

Since the fire, multiple agencies have worked to connect the former Drake residents with resources.

“No one left the shelter today without a plan for their immediate housing needs and connection to the resources that can help them to move forward,” said Phil Hansen with the Red Cross.

"We have a housing plan for every individual, each person is in a different spot in that housing plans for some, they are in their housing location," said Jodi Wentland of Hennepin County Human Resources. "Others are awaiting the housing, it might be one or two weeks working with landlords. For others, they might be in temporary housing location until we are able to leverage that. We have a plan for every individual and family."

In total, the Red Cross reports, it had more than 1,800 shelter stays.

On Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Red Cross will be putting out all the remaining donated merchandise and goods for Drake survivors at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church downtown.

Oficials say about 35 to 40 percent of all goods remain. They are hoping survivors have moved into new places where they would have more space or needs for the donated goods.