Public Meeting between LCS and neighbors, Douglas County Fairgrounds, Building 1, 5/20/2010
Summary of some concerns identified by neighbors:
Notes on Meeting:
Sara Taliaferro, facilitator, introduced herself and gave some general information on the facilitation team. City Commission approval is conditional on three meetings to review the management plan with neighbors. She asked Anne Bracker, a member of the shelter’s board of directors, to explain the location of the new shelter site.
The purpose of the meeting is to review the Management Plan. It was explained that this was an opportunity for the neighbors to start collaborating with the Shelter.
The Good Neighbor Agreement was explained. Sara stated that the agreement in the packet was the one developed for the current site. Even though it shows the new address, it would be changed, with neighbors of the Franklin Center site involved in developing a new agreement.
A few questions were asked, but it was decided to go through the plan point by point and address issues as they are stated in the plan.
There were no general requests for clarification.
Statement of Purpose section – no concerns or comments.
Next Section:
Q. Will there be a staff person at the shelter at all times?
A. Yes. There will always be someone there for intakes and other activities.
Q. What training will case managers have?
A. They all have prior experience as case managers, and some have social work degrees.
Q. What will be the capacity of the shelter?
A. Up to 125 people. The current shelter can take 53 people in warm weather and up to 76 during the cold months with the help of local churches, who can take up to 15 each. 125 was the maximum number of people during the winter at LCS and Salvation Army combined when both shelters were operating.
Q. Will Salvation Army reopen their shelter?
A. No.
Q. Explain Good Dog and other programs.
A. Good Dog is an entrepreneurial jobs program where guests make, sell, market, and distribute dog biscuits. Participants have requirements to meet, such as minimum hours of work, case management, and to put a percentage of earnings into savings. That program has graduated twelve people so far into housing and permanent jobs. The program is moving to a new location at 9th and Kentucky, called the “Dog House,” and will sell other products and collaborate with other services.
Loring explained the programs under case management. He said that all guests will be assigned a case manager within 72 hours. In response to a concern that no one will know who is there for 72 hours, Loring stated that staff know who is there. They may just have not completed all paperwork. The first part of intake information is completed immediately, checking for identification, name, and et cetera. The rest of the intake is better done with a case manager, so if a person comes in on Friday evening, that part might not be completed until Monday. Second part of intake involves interview to help decide why person is homeless, which programs will be helpful and to analyze needs such as a job, housing, benefits, and intervention. Another jobs program they have is the Back to Work program, which involves a one-on-one job coach who helps people gain the skills they need to retain a job once they get it.
Q. What if someone leaves the building. Where do they go?
A. Loring stated that they have no way of knowing where people go – to friends, relatives, under the bridge. They are not allowed to loiter. They will be offered a ride and taken to a legal location—a friend or relative’s home or a public place. He offered to respond to calls from neighbors if they go on private property. He wants to take responsibility if people are not in a place where they should be. He said that it is also appropriate to call the sheriff if a person is trespassing on someone’s property.
Q. What happens if a guest leaves at night and doesn’t want a ride?
A. That rarely happens. Once they have shelter, people rarely want to leave. He said that staff can watch to see where they go. Brad Cook, outreach worker, added that people usually want to be with others. If they leave, they would most likely go downtown or to the river. A neighbor noted that legally, no one can be forced to go where they do not want to go. He encouraged neighbors to take normal precautions and call police if needed. Loring cannot violate people’s rights and keep them at the shelter against their will and suggested working collaboratively with police department.
A suggestion was made that staff have crises intervention training.
A concern was stated that the plan does not include funding information. Sara noted that this was not required for the Special Use Permit process, but she would make inquiries to connect the questioner to that information outside of the meeting.
Q. Will there be 24 hour security other than staff? Concern was expressed about safety for guests, especially if someone did wander onto neighboring properties. Questioner noted that folks may want the shelter and people associated with it to move out of downtown, but that raised concerns about activities outside of the shelter at the new location.
A. doors must remain open. There is currently a security person at the shelter who patrols outside during the day.
Sara gave a brief history of the current site, since the current location was mentioned. L.I.N.K., the Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen, is across the street. The Community Drop-In Center was already operating in the building when the Lawrence Open Shelter moved in. The two later merged, becoming the Lawrence Community Shelter. But the daytime drop-in shelter that currently operates at the shelter will not be included as an option at the new facility. Further, the people hanging around may or may not be shelter guests.
A clarification comment was made by Brad Cook that currently, a lot of people come for day services. Anyone in the community can wander in and out. In the new shelter, only those with a reason to be there may be there. No one may leave after 8:30 without being banned.
Q. Is there going to be security at night?
A. No, there is no need for more than staff members. The shelter is a quiet place at night.
It was expressed that safety is a major concern. Business people from the area expressed a need for a good plan before the proposal moves forward.
Concerns were expressed about people coming to the shelter after hours. What happens if they come out to the shelter and cannot get in? There is fear that someone will be sleeping in a neighborhood barn in the morning when the resident goes to feed the horses.
Sara suggested the benefit of a plan to communicate concerns.
A comment was made that people hanging around the current shelter may give the impression they are guests. In actuality they may not be and may not be eligible for the programs within the shelter.
Q. What are the facilities for children?
A. Loring explained the current program. He explained that the new shelter will have a fenced-off playground for children and specific requirements for families and separate family rooms. Anne added that meal preparation areas will be separate, a separate family savings program, and so on. Sara mentioned that the LCS works closely with other agencies. When there is a family that cannot be helped by the Rapid Rehousing through the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority or Family Promise, the family is referred to LCS. And the shelter works with other agencies to move families out of the shelter.
Q. How will children get to school?
A. Some families have their own vehicle even if they are without a home. A school bus currently picks up children at the shelter, and there was consensus that the school district is required to provide transportation, but this will be confirmed for the next meeting.
Comment made that transportation in general, especially transportation for children, is a huge concern to neighbors because of the heavy traffic and trucks, which could be a safety issue for pedestrians. It was noted that locating a bus stop at the shelter was a condition for the City to meet before the shelter opens at the new facility.
Q. What are Level 1 and Level 2 that are referred to in the Management Plan?
A. Level 1 is probationary period when guests meet with a case manager and outline a plan or program. In Level 2 the guests are in a plan. They get a different bed, a more desirable sleeping arrangement. They would have more storage for their belongings. There will be other benefits and privileges associated with attaining Level 2 and participating in programs and complying with rules.
Q. How many case managers are there and what kind of caseloads do they have?
A. Currently there are 4 case managers – 2 full time and 2 part time. They also have access to 3 outreach workers who are not as restricted in what they can help with—in other words, they can help and refer for other needs than just mental health issues. All have large caseloads – between 15 and 50.
Q. Will issues that neighbors bring up actually be acted upon?
A. The current version of the Good Neighbor Agreement states that there will be a committee of three staff and three neighbors to review neighborhood relations. Loring placed that description in the agreement. It is something new and not done at the current location. Meetings will be facilitated to help support a constructive process. Everyone should have input in the decision-making process, determining how decisions are made and that they are done collaboratively. The good neighbor committee needs to be a working committee. It won’t work if the meetings are places for concerns to die. The details and structure of the committee can be ironed out in these current public meetings between the various stakeholders.
Q. Is the Shelter subject to state regulations or county regulations?
A. Other than Fire Codes and such, no.
It was stated by a Shelter Board member that at the new location, there could be other ways to deal with people who break rules rather than banning them. It would be better if the issues remain in the shelter and are worked out there. A neighbor noted that was an internal matter for Shelter representatives to work out together. The part that concerned him was the weapons and illegal substances mentioned.
Q. Is there reluctance on the part of staff to involve police?
A. No. If anything, neighbors have commented on the number of police visits. Staff do call the police as appropriate.
Q. What about weapons and drugs?
A. All items are confiscated, and alcohol is poured out. Anything illegal is turned over to the police. They go through the belongings of new residents. Longer term residents may go on honors system. Other guests report activities out of concern for their own safety.
Q. Do neighbors have to go through a committee to express concerns?
A. No anyone call the shelter with problems. Loring says to call him right then when something comes up. His number is listed on the plan.
Q. How will the shelter and grounds be kept clean?
A. The plan is to require that guests to do the cleaning as is done at the current shelter. Staff will be hired if needed. It is expected that guests will take pride in their new home. Shelter guests also go through neighborhood streets to pick up. They went downtown to help after the National Championship celebration a couple years ago.