A stunt to raise awareness about homelessness ruffled a few feathers in an affluent Toronto neighbourhood.

On Friday, a sign surfaced on a vacant building in Leaside notifying residents that a homeless shelter would be opening soon.

A hidden camera placed near the sign captured the neighbourhood’s mixed reaction to the news.

A letter circulated to local businesses also said a shelter would open in the area soon. The letter stated that the shelter would provide 62 overnight accommodations and three daily meals served on a first-come-first-served basis to those in need.

“As Toronto’s homeless population grows and winter approaches, we need additional temporary shelter space for the homeless. Your neighbourhood has been selected as a home for a new shelter,” says the letter, signed as The Jefferson Homeless Shelter.

Just one day after the original sign had been put up, it was replaced by second sign that informed residents that the homeless shelter was a hoax.

The sign read, “You told us you don’t want a homeless shelter here. Neither do we. Support us in creating long-term solutions. Let’s end homelessness.”

Carolann Barr, the executive director of Raising the Roof, the charity behind the hidden camera stunt, said the point of putting up the signs was to start a conversation and address the "not in my backyard" mentality that is sometimes associated with homeless shelters.

She said the campaign, which was developed in partnership with advertising agency Leo Burnett, was also meant to start a discussion on the need for a national housing strategy ahead of the upcoming election.

Barr admitted that there were some people who were upset by the campaign.

“Our intention was to spark conversation and certainly not anything malicious,” she told CP24.com.

“I think we had reactions on both sides.”

The reactions will be included in a video the charity is releasing via social media on Oct. 12. Barr said the faces of the people captured on camera will be blurred so they can’t be identified.

“We are really hoping it helps start conversations and change any of those negative attitudes," Barr added.

Jon Burnside, the city councillor representing the area, said he first found out about the campaign while he was at a city council meeting shortly after the first sign had been put up.

“There were a lot of concerned residents I think mostly because people didn’t know what is going on," he said.

While he admits the campaign was "creative," he said he thinks it "missed the mark."

"The problem I have is if the goal seems to have been to raise awareness about homelessness. I was kind of hoping that we are passed that and that we are looking to find solutions," he said.

"I don’t think that that hoax, if you will, did anything to address that need.”

Burnside said he also doesn't believe the charity's assertion that Leaside was picked at random.

"There are lots of vacant store fronts (around the city)," he said.

Barr admitted that Leaside was selected, in part, because there is not a lot of visible homelessness in that community but disagreed with Burnside's statement on the campaign's effectiveness.

"It was to really get people talking and that's what we've done."