Decision on former Cape federal building as homeless shelter could come within month

A decision on whether the old federal building in Cape Girardeau will be used as a homeless shelter could come in as little as 30 days.

The New Life Evangelistic Center, a multistate religious organization headed by the Rev. Larry Rice, filed its application Monday to take over the 44,000-square-foot building at 339 Broadway that formerly housed federal court offices. The courts moved to a new courthouse last summer; other agencies with offices in the building have already moved or are in the process of finding new quarters.

Rice filed the application with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In it, the New Life Evangelistic Center details what it says is the need for homeless help in the region and describes the programs it intends to implement if it obtains the building.

The application is already drawing opposition from Cape Girardeau city leaders, who worry about an influx of transients. Mayor Jay Knudtson said Tuesday he was concerned about the location. The Broadway corridor is designated as a key area for revitalization under the DREAM Initiative plans to be finalized in coming months.

Rice wants to use a federal law that gives homeless assistance programs priority in the use of surplus federal buildings. The New Life Evangelistic Center obtained an old Social Security building in Springfield, Mo., under that law, and the Economic Security Corp. in southwest Missouri obtained a former courthouse in Joplin, Mo., to use for the homeless.

Surplus federal property has also been turned over to state and local governments for reasons as varied as the historic significance of a building like the Old Post Office in St. Louis or for health, education and correctional uses.

The Department of Health and Human Services is expected to act quickly on Rice's application, perhaps in as little as 30 days, said Charlie Cook, spokesman for the General Services Administration in Kansas City. If the application is rejected, the next step for the federal building would be a potential sale to state or local govenrments, he said.

In the application, New Life quotes local service providers from news stories and telephone conversations about the need for homeless help. "Cape Girardeau and the surrounding areas are in dire need of housing for the homeless," the application quotes Karen Daughtery, executive director of Mending Hearts Recovery.

A count by the Missouri Housing Development Commission, quoted in the application, shows that in a 24-hour count conducted in the summer of 2008 and again in the winter, there were 173 and 243 homeless people, respectively. Of those, 29 were unsheltered in the summer and 35 unsheltered in the winter.

"We see that there is definitely a need," said Nathan First, a regional supervisor for New Life. "If you look on our website, you will see we have attempted to meet the needs virtually everywhere in Missouri."

The New Life Evangelistic Center operates nine shelters in Missouri. In addition, it operates 10 free stores in the state, 10 radio stations and six commercial television stations.

Knudtson said he would be meeting today with leaders of groups that target their services to people in need of housing. The meeting isn't so much to deny the need as to show how needs are being met, Knudtson said.

"The city absolutely will be taking the lead on this," Knudtson said.

Cape Girardeau County officials have been hoping to secure the federal building to house county offices in Cape Girardeau, including the circuit courts. The city supports that plan. A homeless shelter isn't a good fit for the building, Knudtson said.

"I would be less than honest with you if I told you I was overjoyed by the prospects of converting a 40,000-square-foot building in the middle of a revival project into a homeless shelter," Knudtson said.

125 people a year

The core of Rice's plan is to help about 125 people a year in a six-month program to build their job and social skills and help them plan to be financially independent. In addition, Rice would accept homeless for emergency shelter stays on a space-available basis, housing families in family rooms and single people separately. The application also states New Life would require a statewide police check before admitting anyone for emergency shelter. Emergency shelter would be limited to 14 days in a row.

The city's reluctance to admit a problem isn't unusual, First said. "I think we just have different priorities," he said. "The priorities for the city and the county are clearly not the homeless. Granted that is not their chief mandate, but it is a part of their mandate. We see a need, and it is clearly not being met."

Knudtson said he does feel a responsibility to Cape Girardeau residents who are in need. "What I am not certain I have a responsibility to do is meet the needs of folks that don't exist in our community, that don't live and work in our community. I have some real heartburn about creating a facility that all indications are is an example of 'if you build it, they will come.'"

The meeting today will help set the city's response. First said New Life isn't going it alone and added that the organization is willing to work with any group that wants to help and not compete with other providers.

"Our goal is to get in, get the job done and help the Cape Girardeau community help its poorer neighbors," he said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

339 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

On the Web:

www.newliveevangelisticcenter.org