News

On Nov. 1, where will Green Bay homeless go?

By Patricia Kasten
Compass Associate Editor

	Needed What: Brown County Churches Offering Temporary Shelter Where: St. John the Evangelist Parish, 413 Saint John Street What: Recliners for hospitality center; clothing for homeless; hot meals and people to serve them When: Nov. 1 through April, daily from 6 p.m. to midnight
	Past articles: from September 28, 2007 issue: • Alternative to COTS homeless shelter in works     Green Bay's New Community Shelter in mix,     advises patience 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 -- "Some people think that if we don't address the homeless problem, it'll go away. And it just won't."

Those sentiments were expressed to The Compass by Brown County Executive Tom Hinz on Oct. 22, just prior to an Oct. 23 vote by the Green Bay City Council on approval of a zoning change. That change would let a year-round shelter for individuals not served by Green Bay's other shelter open on the city's west side.

The plan was proposed by Mayor Jim Schmitt's Chronic Homeless Task Force and announced by Mayor Schmitt on Sept. 14. It would have opened New Safe Step near the New Community Shelter. New Safe Step would provide "the very basics of safety and shelter" according to an Oct. 9 press release from Terri Refsguard, executive director of New Community Shelter.

New Safe Step was designed to replace the privately run Brown County Churches Offering Temporary Shelter (COTS) which, for the past two winters, had provided an overnight shelter in the gymnasium of St. John the Evangelist Parish on the city's downtown east side.

As of Oct. 22, the city council's vote on Safe Step's zoning change was uncertain. Its doors need to open on Nov. 1. Neighbors of New Safe Step and New Community Shelter, both on Mather Street, have expressed concern about the planned rezoning and two shelters in the area, and the city council seemed evenly split, but leaning toward rejecting the zoning change. There are currently no other plans offered by the city should Safe Step's zoning not be approved.

Meanwhile, the Brown County COTS program was proceeding with plans to offer an evening Hospitality Center at the St. John site.

"Because the homeless know us and will come to this building, we're going to operate the hospitality center that will be open from 6 p.m. to 12 midnight (every day)," said Sacred Heart Fr. Guy Blair, pastor of St. John's.

The center, which will be open from November to April, will offer food, showers, clothing and a warm place to sit and watch TV. The plan was, by midnight, to get its visitors on the shuttle that the city had promised to provide to take them to Safe Step.

"In whatever way we can help the (homeless) person, we will try," said Fr. Blair.

In the two years since the COTS shelter first opened, St. John Parish has been upgrading the site to meet city codes. They added showers, a wheelchair ramp and updated kitchen facilities and bathrooms. They also purchased strobe lights for the fire exits and are adding a safety rail to the stage area.

Since the city had expressed concern about accountability of the homeless around the building during the day, Brown County COTS had also planned to expand staffing at the shelter. The St. Vincent de Paul Society - which operates other shelters in the city - had agreed to handle administrative matters and daytime contacts.

However, on Aug. 21, the Green Bay City Council unanimously voted to refuse to allow the shelter to operate this year. After that, the mayor announced his plans for Safe Step.

"So we were stunned to hear that they wouldn't give us the permits, since we were doing everything we were told," said Fr. Blair.

Even if the city does not approve the Safe Step zoning, the St. John hospitality center will still open on Nov. 1.

"We want to still be serving that portion of the population that is generally very difficult to serve, who fall through the cracks: the chronically homeless; people with severe mental disabilities; people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol," Fr. Blair added. "We've had a good track record for two full seasons."

Brown County COTS needs volunteers to donate recliners for the hospitality center, and to heat and serve food. While the kitchen has been updated, without city permits, no cooking can be done at St. John. Volunteers can warm food and Fr. Blair said many people will bring in hot meals, as they have done in the past.

As to what happens after Nov. 1, Fr. Blair hopes the city will approve the New Safe Step, and said Brown County COTS plans to work with the New Community Shelter to assist in any way they can.

"We do not want, in any way, to undermine this attempt of the city to serve the homeless," said Fr. Blair. "They may do a better job than us and have more resources than we can find. And they may take this to heart and really do something for the homeless. Before, they wouldn't even acknowledge that there were homeless people. Now, at least, they are acknowledging that by (trying to open) that shelter."

However, faced with dwindling support by city council members, New Safe Step may not open on Nov. 1. The building, an old warehouse with offices, has not yet received any major renovations, pending the city's zoning approval.

"I'm sure that we'll be asked to step up to the plate by the circumstances," said Fr. Blair.

"What else should the Church of Jesus Christ be doing? Isn't this what Jesus did? The four Gospels are filled with stories of a man who didn't wait. He went out to these people. ... We should be emulating his behavior."

Another member of the COTS advisory committee confided that, if the city turns down New Safe Step, the hospitality center at St. John's will "stay open all night. In effect, we'll be breaking the law."