News

Alternative to COTS homeless shelter in works

By Patricia Kasten
Compass Associate Editor

	Past articles: from August 31, 2007 issue: • Green Bay nixes winter shelter at church     COTS offered a place to sleep to people     who couldn't go to city's other shelters • Bridging the Gap by Bishop David Zubik --     A scraped knee and beyond     Emergency shelter in downtown     is all about caring for each other

GREEN BAY -- The first days of autumn are upon us, with winter winds not far behind.

Where will the homeless sleep this winter? Especially those who usually do not qualify for most homeless shelters - the mentally ill, the addicts, the alcoholics.

For the last two winters, their needs were met by COTS, Churches Offering Temporary Shelter, housed in St. John the Evangelist Church. The shelter took in as many as 25 people a night, offering food, bathroom facilities and a mattress on its gym floor. The effort was evolving each year, and the church gymnasium was being upgraded to meet those needs.

Last year, the Green Bay City Council issued a temporary permit to COTS to operate over the months of November through March. However, this year, the permit was denied.

Tony Theisen, a member of the City Council and the Brown County Board, in whose district St. John's is located, said police reports and neighbors' concerns factored into the city's decision.

"I have a lot of admiration for people that volunteer to do something like this," he said, "but I cannot approve something that is illegal. I have to weigh the problems solved against the problems created in the neighborhood. It's a serious issue on both sides. But I am more concerned for the people that are really in fear; they really are sincerely in fear of some of the situations with this."

The COTS committee was dismayed by the city's Aug. 21 action. Since then, there has even been talk of going ahead with plans to open in St. John's without city permission if necessary.

However, Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt has a homelessness task force which is working on alternatives. After meetings with COTS leaders, including Fr. Guy Blair, pastor of St. John's, on Sept. 18 - meetings that also included Brown County Executive Tom Hinz - the mayor believes he has a plan that should please everyone. The details, he said, will be revealed in the next few weeks.

COTS leaders, however, have said that what they've heard so far is disquieting, at best, and demanding at most. They said that, while they have not been given details about the sites for the new homeless facility, they have been asked to commit volunteers and funds, which come from donations.

In the middle of this all is the New Community Shelter, the city's largest temporary housing facility, which has 108 beds. However, it isn't just about beds; it's the rules at most shelters, such as requiring total abstinence from alcohol and the proper use of medications by mentally ill residents. All parties realize that there is a certain population who will never meet those requirements.

Terri Refsguard, executive director of New Community Shelter said that, while details of the mayor's plan are still to be worked out, they do focus on these people who cannot meet regular shelter requirements.

"In that," she said, "we are partnering directly with Brown County and their professionals - in areas such as mental health and AODA. It will be a much more intensive and individualized program."

COTS leadership had expressed disappointment that Refsguard was not at the Sept. 18 meeting with Schmitt and Hinz. However, Refsguard explained to The Compass, Schmitt had only approached her with his plan on Sept. 14. Her board was not able to meet to agree on those details until Sept. 19. NEW Community is on board with the mayor's plan, she added.

"I'd say to people at this point," Refsguard said, "be patient, be supportive and rely on the competence of NEW Community Shelter (founded in 1994) up to this point."

As for COTS specifically, Refsguard said she is "more than willing" to talk over details with them, and expressed concern that they had not contacted her before this.

Refsguard knows that the population helped by COTS requires special needs. "We recognize the need to have a group of professionals to step forward with a program to address the very specific needs of these individuals. We're talking about individuals - not the chronic homeless as a group. We'll have to deal with each person on an individual basis."

She added that New Community also plans to develop a program to help these chronically homeless people get into permanent housing.

"There's a sense, too, that this program will be a first step in the mayor's long-range, 10-year plan to address homeless in our community," Refsguard said. "Should a bare bones entry program - you're warm, you're safe - be enough? We owe them more than that - so we need to look elsewhere for other housing options."

But what about now? Nov. 1 is when COTS planned to open its doors. What doors - if any - will open then?

Mayor Schmitt asks for patience, though he will only say that there are four facilities - located somewhere in Brown County being explored. They are all in faith-based buildings. COTS wants assurances that their input will be heard and their expertise utilized to serve the most underprivileged.

While details are still being worked out, Refsguard is confident there will be a place for every homeless person this winter.

"We'll be up and running Nov. 1 with this new program."