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The New Life Evangelistic Center plan to transform the Cape Girardeau federal building into a homeless shelter gave new impetus this week to a two-year-old idea to build a small cluster of energy-efficient homes for struggling families.
When New Life announced its application to acquire the federal building at 339 Broadway, it sparked a negative reaction from city business and political leaders. The federal building is in an area targeted by Cape Girardeau's DREAM Initiative plan to revive downtown. But on Wednesday, at a weekly meeting led by Mayor Jay Knudtson and attended by civic and service agency leaders, a housing plan first announced in August 2007 became the center of attention.
Magnolia Place was to be a cluster of nine homes, each 1,200 square feet with three bedrooms, in the 500 block of North Main and North Spanish streets. Proposed initially by a group called Project Hope, Magnolia Place was designed to provide transitional help over a 15- to 24-month period.
Despite early support, the project languished. Knudtson acknowledged that Magnolia Place is getting another look because of the application by New Life founder the Rev. Larry Rice to house 125 people per year in a long-term transitional program in the federal building. Rice would also provide emergency shelter for the homeless.
Groups ranging from the United Way and the Salvation Army to staff from the offices of U.S. Sens. Kit Bond and Claire McCaskill and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, as well as representatives of church groups were on hand, Knudtson said.
"Everyone was represented, and everyone gave their commitment to pursue this," he said. "It is important to point out that, for me, this isn't really about some kind of eleventh-hour ploy to stave off the Rev. Rice's application."
Instead, Knudtson said, reviving the idea is a response to the issues raised since New Life officially applied for the building May 4. Magnolia Place represents a local solution to local issues, Knudtson said.
"This type of project appears to have the scope and magnitude to address the needs," Knudtson said.
Rice praised the city for taking positive action.
"They are suddenly seeing the light, I guess," Rice said.
However, he said he would not back away from the federal building because of a promise.
The New Life application suggests that there could be 200 to 2,200 homeless in the area, depending on how homelessness is defined. Rice said nine houses is not enough but that Magnolia Place would be a good final step to self-sufficiency for families that use his services.
In his program, Rice said, families who seek emergency shelter would be given an opportunity to obtain longer-term help. His program would last up to six months, and the families that complete it would need a place to live when they finish.
"I think it is wonderful, and what we are proposing is not a cure-all," Rice said. "From day one we wanted to work with other agencies."
Magnolia Place faltered due to internal issues at Project Hope, said the Rev. Bob Towner, pastor of Christ Episcopal Church. Towner was a board member of Project Hope and one of the people who originally approached marketing consultant Bill Prost to develop the idea in 2007.
"I just think Project Hope was at cross-purposes with itself and couldn't follow through and it was put on the back burner," Towner said.
The idea is still sound, Towner said, and he intends to explore starting a program targeting homeless single men needing transitional housing when the controversy over the federal building dies down. The federal building is beyond the scale needed for Cape Girardeau, Towner said, adding that he was not encouraged by Rice's "warehouse approach to the homeless or transitional housing nor by his track record across Missouri."
Prost said he became involved again, gathering plans drawn by architect Philip Smith and attending Wednesday's meeting. "I was very pleased at the response, as far as they welcomed the alternative as something they would like to move forward," he said.
Making Magnolia Place a reality will take a cooperative effort of many agencies, said John McGowan, director of community impact for the United Way of Southeast Missouri and a board member of Love INC, an interfaith group bringing together churches for service to the community.
Now is a good time to bring a project like Magnolia Place forward, McGowan said. The federal economic stimulus bill approved in February means funding is available, he said. The political backing of the city and members of Congress will also help. U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, who opposes Rice's plan for the federal building, won approval this week of a bill to provide $2.2 billion for transitional housing programs.
The consensus to explore Magnolia Place is a positive result of New Life's application, McGowan said. "It is kind of like the stars are aligning both for the financial support and that we already have a plan in place that we can implement."
The city's response to New Life Evangelistic Center and Rice has been that the needs of the homeless in Southeast Missouri are already being met. Knudtson said pushing Magnolia Place may create an impression that is wrong but that he's convinced it is both needed and a local commitment to build it will show that Rice's programs aren't needed in Cape Girardeau.
"Some people have cautioned against the timing of this," he said. "But for me to say as mayor that there is nobody being missed in the area of homelessness would be pompous and unrealistic."
Rice worries that if he withdraws his application, Magnolia Place will be forgotten. "It is nothing more than a promise, and a promise that can go away as quickly as it is made," he said.
388-3642
Pertinent addresses:
339 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO
500 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO
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Good Grief, here we go.
Old boy here we go again
Since the location proposed is in the downtown area I don't see any sports bar on the drawing.
These things always look good on paper, but within 3 years they will be nothing more than eyesores. The property won't be taken care of, the people that live there know that they are there temporarily and won't take care of the houses. You think they'll care if the carpet is vacuumed while they are living there? You think they even own a vacuum cleaner? You think they will care if they ever do any basic cleaning that keeps the house in good condition? Within 3 years they will be nothing more than rat and roach infested slums 20 yards from Broadway, and the cost of cleaning them after tenants move out will be so costly that they will just sell them off.
Of course, they will receive some sort of federal or state grant to build them, but then get all the revenue when they sell them to the general public.
These will be nothing more than slums 20 yards from Broadway within 5 years.
I think that "gomer" is making a lot of unfair and close-minded assumptions about those who may need temporary housing. Do you honestly think that everyone who needs this type of help don't care about how they live? How their home is kept? I think that this is a shameful mindset to have in today's society when millions of hard-working American families are being laid off from their jobs, some of them having worked at their previous place of employment for over 15, 20,30,40 years. These people and their families may be the same "type of people" (and I hate to use this phrase, but for "gomer's" understanding, I will) as you and your family. What is considered clean? It is different to everyone, but that, in and of it self is a whole other topic for discussion. It seems to me that you are making some pretty radical assumptions about who may need that temporary housing and that karma may come around and put you in a position where you sir or madam may be knocking on the door of that courthouse, with your family, and possessions in hand, looking for a kind, gentle and helping organization to help you get back on your feet. I for one, hope you realize that just because it is there to help people who have fallen on unfortunate times does not mean that they are not hard-working, caring, loving and passionate people.
Why didn't Magnolia Place work the first time? Could it be Cape's overlording mercantile class not wanting it in their backyards? How about a lack moral authority from some of the locals as well as their pastors? What about the great sucking sound escaping from the vacuum of many community leaders? I know, there wasn't any property to sell. There obviously are homeless that require temporary housing and it shouldn't have taken someone from St. Louis, set aside his own agenda, to bring out the "best in Cape".
Does anyone know how to find out more about Magnolia Place? If it's going to be transitional housing, what services are provided (training, family counseling, case management, etc.)? How would "struggling families" qualify for moving into one of the houses, and how many people (max or minimum) could stay in one house? Would the housing ONLY be for families? What about single homeless men or women, or, say, a single parent with a single child?
Any idea what the rent would be? Would homeless people who are unable to pay rent be able to get rent assistance, at least at first?
Cape certainly needs something, whether it's Rice's program, Magnolia Place, or possibly even both. It seems to me that they intend to serve different populations: Magnolia Place for struggling families (however defined), and New Life for people that are already homeless, with programs for homeless veterans, single men, single women, and families.
Does anyone know how to find out more about Magnolia Place? If it's going to be transitional housing, what services are provided (training, family counseling, case management, etc.)? How would "struggling families" qualify for moving into one of the houses, and how many people (max or minimum) could stay in one house? Would the housing ONLY be for families? What about single homeless men or women, or, say, a single parent with a single child?
Any idea what the rent would be? Would homeless people who are unable to pay rent be able to get rent assistance, at least at first?
Cape certainly needs something, whether it's Rice's program, Magnolia Place, or possibly even both. It seems to me that they intend to serve different populations: Magnolia Place for struggling families (however defined), and New Life for people that are already homeless, with programs for homeless veterans, single men, single women, and families.
(Sorry about the double comment -- I'm still learning patience ;-)
"Since the location proposed is in the downtown area I don't see any sports bar on the drawing."
-- Posted by gman on Fri, May 22, 2009, at 9:46 AM
LOL!!!!
Gman, I've been eyeing the West side of this. That might be a good place. Then I looked at the East side, and that didn't look bad either. Then I thought, "Oh the heck with it". I pretty well decided that putting one on every corner would serve in the best interest of all involved, because "God Forbid" we Don't have near enough Sports Bars in this town.
*shaking head* Really really, really makes one miss the Hitchin' Post.
Mega,
Agreed,
On the drawings I am somewhat confused by what the black dots represent. Do they represent A)razor wire fence, B) claymore mines or C) keg holders?
You can call the Project HOPE offices, 651-0551, and leave an inquiring message, if necessary, at extension 13.
The black dots represent economic / educational opportunity and access to our community's economic / educational bounty!
Many, many years ago, due to an error on Voc. Rehab's part, I became homeless after being told to move to Springfield, MO by Voc. Rehab. I was a single parent and knew no one there. I went there upon VR's request to make a better life for my family. It ended in disaster. However, thank God they had a homeless shelter. It was by no means a palace, and I felt humiliated, embarassed, and degraded. I eventually found my way back to Cape and got on my feet, got my education, work, and take care of my children. I am not now, nor was I ever, a dirty person or had a filthy home. Not all people who are needy are second class citizens or nasty and unkempt. I think Gomer's comments were very narrow-minded and offensive. If it weren't for that shelter, me and my children would have literally been out in the cold, as it was winter time. Is there a problem here with homelessness? Of course. Cape is not so high and mighty that we can exclude ourselves from societal woes. However, under the right leadership (whomever it might be) addressing these needs can be done, stay within reasonable expectations and managed accordingly. That old expression, "S**t happens!!" could not be more true in today's economic climate. The Federal Building for this issue is probably taking it too far, and Magnolia Place is probably not taking it far enough. I think most importantly, the issue should be who would govern such an undertaking? How would they run it? With what requirements? And what expectations? and also to be accountable to the city council. Done properly, without everyone bickering like children ,can actually accomplish a great need. I think one thing that should be part of any type of program for the homeless is manadatory volunteering-pardon the contradictory words. For many reasons people might not be able to work or go to school or what have you, but everyone has at least 5 hours a week to "give away". Whether it is helping with Meals On Wheels or your child's school, or the Senior Citizen Center, the opportunities are endless. The homeless giving back would help give them a sense of self-worth as well as giving back to the community that is helping them. Cape is truly coming into its own, what with the River Campus and water park and beautiful new library etc. Surely we can help those who are down on their luck and make Cape a beautiful and generous community that cares about itself and its citizens.
Gman! Success! I've figured this out! This isn't a housing plan at all! It's the secret plans to the new version of the 1980s classic arcade game Centipede! Those dark dots are what's left the of centipede, after those round things with a dot in the middle have shot at it. Ohh this is going to be great! When's it come out?
Mega,
I think you are to something. In addition to the secret plans, one may need to look into the possibility that this property may sit over one of the tunnels that runs under the city. If that is the case that would make a great lair to control the city from below.
It's all about opportunity for home ownership in safe, affordable housing, using renewable energy for power, mentoring and training so people can make above a living wage with benefits, paying taxes, contributing to the economic system, etc. For instance, we have Health Careers Foundation out of Cape that has helped 5,000 people nationwide obtain certification or degrees proper for use in 9 medical fields, one of the nation's highest job opening / need classifications, according to US DOL / ETA.
"It's all about opportunity for home ownership in safe, affordable housing, using renewable energy for power"
What renewable energy are you referring to? I may have over looked the part about solar panels or wind turbines being placed at this location.