Fellowship Missions has decided not to consider the Victory Christian Center for a permanent homeless shelter after a neighborhood meeting Thursday night.
The meeting was held for Fellowship Missions to receive input on the option of locating a shelter at Victory Christian Center, 3071 S. County Farm Road, Warsaw.
The meeting was held at Community Bible Church, Warsaw, and attended by about 40 people who live near Victory Christian Center.
People who attended the meeting had the opportunity to ask questions and share concerns.
They expressed concerns such as property values decreasing and crime rates increasing, and the proposed shelter’s proximity to Eisenhower Elementary School.
Eric Lane, Fellowship Missions director, and Fellowship Missions board members Greg Dearborn, Stan Hepler, and Beth Hockemeyer fielded questions from the community Thursday night.
Fellowship Missions has not ruled out the Tri-Namic Printing site on South Buffalo Street as a location for a permanent shelter, but is not pursuing any other options at this time, Lane said during a telephone interview this morning.
Fellowship Missions has signed a purchase agreement with Mutual Federal Bank for the Tri-Namic building, but has not yet purchased the building.
In an e-mailed statement to the Times-Union this morning, Lane said: On behalf of Fellowship Missions and the Board of Directors we would like to thank everyone who came out to the meeting last night to discuss the possibilities of the Victory Christian Center church property becoming a possible site for the future Fellowship Missions Shelter.
The purpose of last night's well attended neighborhood meeting was to gather information from the neighbors of the Victory Christian Center property and to share information about Fellowship Missions.
Being sensitive to the communities concerns in that area and based on some new logistical discoveries concerning the property, Fellowship Missions has decided to not pursue this property any further.
We want to thank all of you who attended and participated in last night’s meeting. We appreciated your input.
Sincerely, Eric R. Lane and the Board of Directors of Fellowship Missions.
Fellowship Mission’s lease with the city for the temporary women’s and children’s homeless shelter at 337 N. Buffalo St. ends in December. It has been open since Dec. 18, 2010.
Fellowship Missions also has a men’s homeless shelter at 425 S. Buffalo St. that has been open since April 2010.
Lane said the men’s shelter is currently housing 16 men, and the women’s and children’s shelter is serving 11 women and three children.
There have been 102 individuals who have walked through the shelters doors since Dec. 18, Lane said.
During Thursday night’s meeting, a resident asked about the square footage and capacity of the Victory Christian Center.
Lane said the Victory Christian Center is on 20 acres of land and is 10,300 square feet, and the Tri-Namic building is 10,500 square feet.
He said the Christian Center has more usable space than the Tri-Namic building, and would cost half a million dollars less to renovate and purchase.
He said the Christian Center could house a minimum of 50 residents and a maximum of 75.
A resident who attended the meeting asked how the homeless would be able to get out to the Victory Center from downtown.
Lane said there would be a shuttle bus, and Fellowship Missions is working with Kosciusko Area Bus Services for transportation options.
Another resident asked about hours of the shelters, and said she had concerns with the homeless wandering around neighborhoods and with an increase in crime.
Lane said the current rules are that those who stay at the shelters check in from 6 to 8 p.m. each night, and are out at 9 a.m. each morning. During the day they are at the library, park, or work.
There is a a lockdown policy at the shelters at 11 p.m. each night.
Another resident asked if those who stay at the shelter will receive background checks.
Lane said each individual receives a background check before being allowed to stay at the shelters, and must complete a breathalyzer test.
Those who do not pass the breathalyzer test are not allowed to stay at the shelter, he said.
