Rice responds to McCaskill criticism of federal building application, says area lacks long-term help for homeless

The Rev. Larry Rice on Tuesday questioned U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill's contention that the Cape Girardeau area has no need for the type of large, transitional housing facility for the homeless that the New Life Evangelistic Center is proposing for the old federal building at 339 Broadway.

McCaskill, D-Mo., recently wrote Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, urging her to ensure a detailed review of New Life Evangelistic Center's application to use the 47,000-square-foot courthouse as a facility housing a transitional program for homeless families and veterans. McCaskill wrote that such a review should lead to the rejection of the application. She said the facility is too large for the local problem and that local agencies are already serving the needs of the homeless.

In a letter addressed to McCaskill's Cape Girardeau office, Rice responded that local agencies help the homeless by giving them shelter for two to three nights, not by helping them in a long-term transition from homelessness to a more stable life.

"For one to declare the need for shelter is met by churches and agencies who provide 2 or 3 nights at a motel for the homeless, shows how little the real needs of the homeless are being met in that community," Rice wrote.

With her letter, McCaskill was the most recent member of Congress representing Cape Girardeau to publicly oppose New Life's application. U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., urged the Department of Housing and Urban Development to reject the application and sponsored a new provision of federal law that took effect in March requiring a detailed review of agencies like New Life that apply for federal surplus property. U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, also has said she is opposed to the creation of a shelter at the courthouse.

New Life, a ministry founded by Rice, has asked that it be given the building to use as a transitional program for homeless families and veterans, an emergency shelter for transient homeless and to operate a free store for the needy. Rice has said the shelter would serve 125 people annually in transitional housing, or 40 to 50 at any one time.

In comments made at the New Life Evangelistic Center facilities in St. Louis, Rice said the organization's application is for transitional programs, not just emergency shelter, saying he wants to "offer opportunity to get in our world of training."

Rice said he wants to model programs in Cape Girardeau after those the organization has created in St. Louis, emphasizing job skills training.

The reason New Life has applied for use of the large federal building is that local government would have no recourse against the organization, Rice said.

"There's a building available that city hall can't constantly threaten and intimidate us and try to take it away," Rice said.

Staff writer Rudi Killer contributed to this report.

msanders@semissourian.com

388-3652

Pertinent address:

339 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO