Allysen Hoberg writes:
"St. Stephen's Catholic Church, Simpson Methodist Church, and Love
Power
Church have been attempting to open a shelter on the West Bank for approx.
two years. There have been numerous public hearings and at least one
article written in both the Star and Tribune and the City Pages about this
endeavor.
Both Simpson and St. Stephen's Shelter are fully staffed overnight by a volunteer
Church have been attempting to open a shelter on the West Bank for approx.
two years. There have been numerous public hearings and at least one
article written in both the Star and Tribune and the City Pages about this
endeavor.
Both Simpson and St. Stephen's Shelter are fully staffed overnight by a volunteer
work force."
The rest of the story:
The "shelter" proposed on the West Bank violates zoning laws and City of
Minneapolis
Ordinances (Missions cannot house shelters.)
The only neighborhood public meeting was overwhelmingly against placing
an
overnight mens' shelter next door to a gun shop and six bars.
The "shelter" budget shows 90% of the money ($135,000) to be paid
as salaries -
apparently to watch 25 men sleep on mats on the floor. No volunteers
at all.
The original proposal, for 25 employed men, morphed into a lottery based
overnight
shelter when Zoning denied the supportive housing proposal
a conditional use permit.
I offered to donate a very nice 5,000 square foot building (formerly the
Currie Center
and the West Bank Charter School) just 3 blocks away from the Mission site
to be used
as a shelter for a lot more than 25 men. My offer was
completely ignored.
The moral of the story: Honesty works better than deception, and the
law applies to
everyone equally.
Victoria Heller
North Oaks
Cedar-Riverside Property Owner
