Movie about man who quit job to build tiny shelters getting world premiere in Toronto

It's the winter of 2020 and Toronto's shelters are at over 99 per cent capacity.

As the city struggles to accommodate people during overlapping crises, one man took the issue into his own hands to alleviate the struggles of some individuals by giving them a warm place of their own.

Someone Lives Here is the story of a local man who fought to build small wooden dwellings for people experiencing homelessness. The documentary premieres at Hot Docs next month.

During the pandemic, the number of unhoused people in Toronto increased catastrophically. Carpenter Khaleel Seivwright took it upon himself to build insulated "tiny shelters." 

He even quit his full-time job to do so and his efforts were quickly picked up by local media.

Meanwhile, the city was unable to resolve the housing crisis yet strongly opposed the tiny shelters. Seivwright installed new designs that included fire and carbon monoxide alarms but still met with interference.

Eventually Toronto proposed a potential partnership, but revoked it a week later.

The documentary follows Seivwright's journey and the important voices of people he tries to help. The City of Toronto's $1.9 million budget for clearing park encampments is rightfully called into question.

You can watch Someone Lives Here in-person on Saturday, Apr. 29 at 5:30 pm at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, and Thursday, May 4 at 4:15 pm at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1. It streams online between May 5 - 9.

Tickets go on sale on Apr. 4 on the Hot Docs website.