Letters regarding homeless in Cape

An application requesting the 47.000-square-foot federal building on Broadway in downtown Cape Girardeau be turned over to New Life Evangelistic Center in St. Louis for use as a homeless shelter is opposed by a broad coalition that includes city, county and federal officials, business organizations, university officials, social agencies, churches and veterans organizations.

A packet of letters from these officials and groups has been sent to the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal officials. The letters demonstrate strong opposition to the application. A decision on the New Life application is expected soon.

Here are excerpts from the letters opposing the New Life application. The Rev. Larry Rice, who operated a homeless shelter for a short time in Cape Girardeau several years ago, is the head of New Life.

Social agencies

This correspondence is to refute quotes attributed to me [in NLEC[']s application] regarding a partnership with NLEC. At not time has any conversation occurred between any representative from NLEC or myself regarding any support or non-support utilizing the former federal building in the city of Cape Girardeau for housing. ... At this time I am not clear on the mission and the program to be established by this organization; therefore I am not amenable to a partnership.

JOHN GARY, Executive Director, Gibson Recovery Center Inc.

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Recently, I was contacted by Nathan First with the New Life Evangelistic Church. ... He was nice and charismatic and gave me the impression that all was well with the community. Being honest, I offered to work with the organization under the pretense I was given, saying that rather than compete with one another, I would rather collaborate. I said this in good faith that this was all on the up and up. I also did not say I would "start an outpatient program at his facility." Rather I said I would offer them here at the Vision House. I am shocked that Mr. First would be so deceiving.

I greatly regret my statements, and after some further research I really feel the community will be safer without [the NLEC[']s proposed homeless shelter]. It seems that along with the shelters run by the organization come a lot of problems. I also agree that a community working as hard as Cape has to beautify the downtown area should be allowed to push forward with a more appropriate use of the building due to its size and location.

THERESA TAYLOR, Executive Director, Vision House of Cape Girardeau

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... In an excerpt from the application submitted by the New Life Evangelistic Center, the narrative specifies that I "stated that Safe House has a community outreach specialist who is well qualified and willing to train all NLEC staff and other relevant personnel at the 339 Broadway facility in how to respond during domestic violence situations." This statement is not true. Safe House for Women does indeed have the expertise and capacity to train community groups on issues related to domestic violence. We do not, however, have a community outreach specialist on staff. Likewise, we do not enter into such an arrangement without some knowledge of the agency requesting our services, some idea about their specific training needs, and a written agreement such as a memorandum of understanding or statement of collaboration.

LINDA GARNER, Executive Director, Safe House for Women, Cape Girardeau

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... At no time did Stacy Sullivant or Karen Daugherty state that the current homeless counts by the Missouri Housing Development Commission have woefully underestimated the problem. In our conversation with Nathan First, he stated that he had problems finding statistics that show homeless counts. We told him that the Missouri Association for Social Welfare heads up the homeless count for Missouri and to look at their information. He stated that he felt their numbers were low, and we responded that in rural areas it is difficult to obtain homeless counts.

KAREN DAUGHERTY, Executive Director, Mending Hearts Recovery

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To the best of my knowledge, I have never spoken with anyone from New Life Evangelistic Center. ... This is a quote from the [NLEC] application. "The Salvation Army provides free weekday dinners to the local homeless population." I did not say that. What I did say was The Salvation Army can and sometimes does provide dinners to people, homeless or even people who are working and can't afford lunch. ... "For lack of local services, Salvation Army also sometimes refers families and single men to New Life Evangelistic Center's shelter in Potosi, Missouri." I would not normally refer someone to a shelter so far away, and I have never heard of New Life Evangelistic Center's shelter.

TINA RODGERS, Social Services, The Salvation Army, Cape Girardeau

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... The United Way of Southeast Missouri [established] the Housing Needs Coordinating Committee in 2000 to identify housing issues and strategies to address them. The committee is a multi-agency cooperative effort to address the existing need in our community.

Through the collaboration and networking of this committee, our community has been able to successfully address many of our housing issues. Due to working together, the costs associated with implemented strategies has been minimized locally. ...

It is our opinion that a shelter operated by someone who hasn't taken the time to form a relationship with key members of our Housing Needs Coordinating Committee after multiple invitations is questionable. ...

To think that Cape Girardeau has the capacity to serve the homeless from 22 counties is also questionable. ...

The type of program outlined in the New Life application is better suited to a community much large than ours.

NANCY L. JERNIGAN, Executive Director, United Way of Southeast Missouri

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... In August of 2008 when we became aware of the Cape Girardeau Federal Building being available through GSA surplus property I asked two professional housing officials from Cape Girardeau to join me in trying to determine if we could use the building as a homeless shelter. Our unanimous conclusion was that the Federal Building was structurally inappropriate for a homeless shelter. ...

Another factor ... was the question of need. ... We strive very hard through our faith community and network of organizations and work closely with the Missouri Homeless Continuum of Care to serve the homeless compassionately.

ROY H. JONES, Housing Coordinator, Community Caring Council, Cape Girardeau

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Churches

Our churches -- we represent six congregations and often include six other congregations in our programs -- came together in 2001 to support one another in our ongoing commitment to the people in the neighborhoods around our city's historic downtown. ...

While researching and documenting the need for such a shelter New Life Evangelistic Center did not contact any of our churches. We were asked neither what needs we see nor what responses we are making. This bodes very poorly for NLEC's ability or willingness to assist those who come to them. ...

Our city is addressing the need for more transitional housing for displaced veterans, for recent graduates of alcoholism and addiction treatment, for the chronically mentally ill, and for recent prison parolees. ... However, we question whether all these diverse populations ought to be warehoused in one single facility and it is our opinion that this is likely to create a negative, not a positive synergy for those being served.

The Rev. ROBERT A. TOWNER, Convener, The Downtown Council of Churches, Cape Girardeau

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... There seems to be a need to identify the homeless population in Cape Girardeau. We do realize there is a need. The quantity of that need is to be determined. Churches are almost always one of the first contacts when people are in homeless situations. While we do identify small, yet very inconsistent transient numbers in the Cape area, the homeless even less frequently show up at our churches.

Pastor PHIL ROOP, Bethel Assembly of God, Cape Girardeau

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... The Ministerial Alliance of Cape Girardeau has encouraged cooperative efforts of churches, non-profits and local, state and federal government agencies that have sought to provide housing for those in our area who find themselves in need. The Ministerial Alliance has worked with and supported organizations ... that attempt to help our churches to more productively use church resources to meet human need in the spirit of Jesus Christ.

Pastor PHIL ROOP, President, Cape Ministerial Alliance

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... The city of Cape Girardeau and its not-for-profit organizations are doing a good job of reaching out to the homeless in our area. ... I'm concerned about the use of the old federal building for this purpose. It is poorly situated and way too large. ... I am concerned that the Reverend Rice is coming into our community on his own, with no partnerships or spirit of cooperation. ... As Senior Pastor of a church that is wholeheartedly committed to reaching out to serving the poor, we stand in opposition to the New Life Evangelistic Association's acquisition of the old federal building. A safety net is in place and a cooperative network of churches and agencies are working together.

RON WATTS, Senior Pastor, La Croix Church, Cape Girardeau

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Veterans organizations

... The intent to makes [the federal building] a homeless shelter for veterans is not in the best interest of the city of Cape Girardeau. ... To meet the requirement of need ... such persons who would benefit should exist (homeless veterans). There are no homeless individuals in this area that are not being assisted using current resources and services.

RODGER O. BROWN, President, Trail of Tears Chapter, VietNow, Cape Girardeau

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... To date, there has been no homeless situation in this area that could not be resolved with existing resources and services. Cape Girardeau County and City are populated with caring citizens who constantly support the organizations involved in the Cape Girardeau Area Community Plan for Family Issues and Housing. In addition, members of this detachment are completely familiar with the VA system and have many contacts within that system who can and will assist with veterans' needs.

RICHARD L. BOLLWERK, Commandant, Cpl. Mason O. Yarbrough Detachment, Marine Corps League, Cape Girardeau

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Our community ... has a vehicle for assisting those who are what some call "homeless." This assistance would be the Revival Center ... in Jackson. This facility is approximately seven miles from the ... federal building. This facility ... is set up perfectly for housing of individuals in need of a home. ... They stay until they can get back on their feet and then they become contributing members to society. ... If anyone tells you there is an unmet need for homeless Veterans in this area they are misleading you.

DAVE HITT, Commander, Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post, Jackson

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Government

... To be as clear as I possibly can, the City stands opposed to this project. ... In our view, the proposed 22 county service area makes no sense whatsoever. We continue, as we have in the past, to deal with the problems of housing and the homeless as a local issue. The proposed service area represents a service radius of approximately 100 miles. ... At no point have the citizens of Cape Girardeau voted or budgeted to be the service center for the homeless population in approximately a quarter of Missouri.

I cannot overstate this case. In published interviews Reverend Rice has said that the facility in Jackson, approximately 10 miles away, is "too far" to provide service to the homeless in Cape Girardeau. Although we disagree with that statement, we do feel that the 100 miles from Arnold or Festus or Kennett does seem excessive. It would seem that an equally strong case can be made that to uproot the homeless and transport them to such a remote location would further exacerbate an already bad situation. ...

To be successful, we believe that a provider of this level of services would have to work closely with local providers of similar services. The attached letters clearly indicate that the Reverend Rice has alienated most of the local stakeholders who feel they were either misquoted or misunderstood [in New Life[']s application] regarding their feelings on the need for additional homeless services.

KEN J. EFTINK, Interim City Manager, Cape Girardeau

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... Cape Girardeau is fully aware that individuals and families need assistance at times, and we are proud of the fact that our community has a very active network of organizations working to help shelter those in need, including the homeless. As just one example, the City itself has applied for and administered emergency-shelter grants from the Salvation Army and the Safe House for Women for the last 18 years.

While we support the benevolent efforts by various organizations to help homeless and others in need, we are concerned that the Federal Building does not lend itself well for fiscally responsible redevelopment, both in public and/or donation dollars, as a place to shelter the homeless. This is a large, two-story building with significant ongoing operation and maintenance costs.

JAY B. KNUDTSON, Mayor, Cape Girardeau

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... For the past few years a number of agencies have been working together in a partnership to make sure our community is adequately addressing the needs of the homeless. ... While the homeless population in our community is not significant, as a result of this community partnership there is a workable plan in place to meet the needs of the few who do need temporary housing. ...

I would be remiss if I did not mention that I have serious concerns for the safety and well-being of our citizens who live, work and visit our City. Our department has been in contact with other police departments in the State of Missouri in which Rev. Rice has shelters similar to the one he wants to open here. Many of these agencies have told us they've seen an increase in call volume and criminal activity at or near the shelter's location. In one community, we were told that homeless people were actually "bused" into the community shelter from another larger community in order to increase their homeless population. This seems somewhat extreme to me, and certainly something that is not in the best interest of our community.

CARL A KINNISON, Chief of Police, Cape Girardeau

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... The Cape Girardeau County Commission recognizes some individuals need assistance and I am proud to state that the Cape Girardeau County Commission, through the Boards we appoint, supports the homeless and their needs. The Cape Girardeau County Mental Health Board funds the following organizations: Community Counseling Center, Family Counseling Center, Gibson Center and Women's Safe House, all in some way assist the homeless and needy. In addition, our community has an active network of organizations working to help shelter those in need, including the homeless.

PAUL KOEPER, First District Commissioner, Cape Girardeau County

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... The New Life Evangelistic Center is administered by Rev. Larry Rice. NLEC has made it a habit of obtaining often inappropriate surplus Federal properties to use for the homeless. Instead of a comprehensive review of NLEC as both a homeless assistance organization and for its capacity to maintain the Federal building in good order consistent with the needs of the homeless, several Federal agencies including HUD basically rubberstamp their approval of NLEC to manage and administer homeless programs in these surplus Federal buildings. This process was enacted at a time when many communities had a bias against the homeless and tried to avoid any responsibility for the homeless. However, times have changed. Many communities now have strong and effective programs for the homeless in which organizations compete for Federal funds which are often leveraged with significant amounts of local funds. While homelessness remains a significant problem throughout the Nation, it is a problem that communities seek to solve and, in all but a few cases, are willing to commit funding and buildings in an effort to assist the homeless. ... Unfortunately, at this time, we have no means of measuring the effectiveness of homeless programs like the NLEC program which often acquire buildings in inappropriate parts of town such as the central business area ... .

CHRISTOPHER S. BOND, U.S. Senate

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... The size of a community's homeless population, a community's support for new efforts to assist area homeless, whether a building is appropriately sized and designed for transitional housing and the record of an applicant for a new building are important considerations in making a final disposition of a federal building. When reviewing these and other criteria, it is clear that the application of the NLEC to acquire the excess federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, while laudatory in intent, should be rejected.

CLAIRE McCASKILL, U.S. Senate

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... A significant portion of our planning efforts relate to housing, and we consistently seek out strategies to ensure that the housing needs of the Region's citizens are being met. ... We are currently engaged with Cape Girardeau in the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing program. ...

Our review of the [NLEC] application raised several concerns regarding overall benefits to the Southeast Missouri Region. First, we are concerned with the size of the service area being proposed; second, the extraordinary cost imposed upon the City and County of Cape Girardeau; and third, the need or demand for the project for the residents of southeast Missouri. ...

We believe that considerable extraordinary costs will be associated with a large homeless/transitional housing facility whose ongoing operation is dependent on the import of large numbers of homeless persons into the Region. We anticipate added expenses for schools, police, emergency medical services, drug and alcohol counseling and general medical services. Over time, we anticipate additional local resources being needed to assist with subsidized housing to serve those transitioning into the local community. ...

The winter 2008 Point-in-Time Count undertaken in January showed a total of 21 persons unsheltered at that time in our seven-county service area. We do not find this to be a statistically significant population and believe that the plight of the unsheltered will continue to improve without the proposed facility.

CHAUNCEY BUCHHEIT, Executive Director, Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission, Perryville, Mo.

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Business

... Early in the process, as the new courthouse was being developed, we asked questions about the future of the "old" federal building. GSA officials told us about the McKinney-Ventor Act and the desire of the federal government to use surplus property to meet the needs of the homeless.

At that time, we took a very pro-active approach and immediately contacted a local team with the responsibility of addressing the local housing needs and the needs of the homeless ... and asked the team to examine the building and give an opinion about its ability to be used for the homeless.

After touring the building and reviewing the options, this team ... determined this building was not an appropriate solution to the needs in our area. The team was completing a plan (now in place) to address transitional housing (our greatest need) and to work closely with other area shelters and delivery organizations to full address the needs of our homeless.

JOHN MEHNER, President and CEO, Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce

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... By no measure am I opposed to legitimately helping the truly homeless, but given the size of the old Courthouse, I do question the acquisition of that property for such a purpose. ... I am convinced that the truly homeless are receiving goods and services through the Area Wide United Way and its member agencies.

However, if there is a demonstrable need for shelter, I would think that one of a more reasonable size and with a more discreet location could be secured.

CHUCK MARTIN, Executive Director, Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau

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University

... The federal building was designed as a business building for small offices and conference rooms. It is compartmentalized with long, dark and narrow halls, small rooms, many without windows, and it is not conducive to an open public configuration which would best serve the responsibility to secure the safety and security of children. In addition, it is located on an extremely busy thoroughfare with constant traffic and no access for playground activities of any type. Three busy city streets surround the building, with the closest elementary school located more than one and a half miles away, all along one of the busiest main arteries of Cape Girardeau. ...

In addition to our concern for the safety and security of homeless children ... we also fear for their health. The federal building is an aging building in need of updates in several areas. It no longer meets current air quality standards, and that is of particular concern for those children who may be experiencing disabilities such as breathing issues, asthmas, etc., which are common issues among homeless families.

KENNETH W. DOBBINS, President, Southeast Missouri State University