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Baltimore City residents plan to protest homeless shelter
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Within a half hour after this picture was taken, Baltimore City officials said they were not planning to use the Edmondson-Westside High School Cafeteria as a temporary homeless shelter - plans which concern neighbors.
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Plans to bus homeless people to a temporary shelter at Edmondson-Westside High School in West Baltimore drew outrage Tuesday, after community leaders said Baltimore City officials failed to give them adequate notice of the move.
“We just found out about this yesterday, that really is not good enough,” Don Sherrod, president of Rognel Heights Community Association, said Tuesday, adding that a protest was planned for that night. “We’re going to lock arms in front of the school and stop people from coming.”
“They’ve known about this for months,” added Jean Hamilton, president of the Edgewood community association. “The community should have a say.”
The plan comes on the heels of the city deciding to shut a downtown shelter on Fayette Street, which had been open for three months. About 150 homeless people will be transported from downtown to the high school every night for about four months.
Roy Schreiber, spokeman for city Department of Housing, said: “We were waiting for [approval from] the Board of Education but we found out we didn’t need it, and we notified the community.” Addressing community concerns that the shelter lacked adequate permits, he said the housing department has the right to waive those permits.
City officials said temporary shelters have caused few problems in the past.
“In every location we’ve moved the temporary shelters, neighbors have raised concerns but in every case, it has worked fine and not caused problems,” said Sterling Clifford, spokesman for Mayor Sheila Dixon.
Residents said the plan means homeless people will still be in the building after the school year begins.
“I have nothing against the homeless, but putting them in the school strikes me as unsanitary,” said Antonio Wesley, who lives a few blocks away.
“I don’t think it should be in school; there could be fighting or people using drugs. You don’t know,” said Betty Patto, 71, another nearby resident.
Meanwhile, homeless residents living in an encampment next to the Main Post office downtown said the city needed to find a permament solution.
“I don’t know why they closed the shelter downtown,” said David Turner, 42, who said he has been homeless for seven months after he was released from jail. “What we really need is our own apartment. With a little bit of help, I think we could get it.”
Others expressed concern that the new shelter would be inadequate. “They only said they have space for 50 women and 100 men,” said Victoria James, 41, who said she has been homeless for six years.
“I don’t think that’s enough room.”
City officials indicated the shelter’s capacity still was being determined.
sjanis@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
12:59 PM MST on Wed., Jul. 9, 2008 re: "Baltimore City residents plan to protest homeless shelter"
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10:03 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 31, 2008
re: "Homeless shelter’s move might stall city budget"
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4:50 PM MST on Tue., Mar. 11, 2008
re: "Supervisor proposes standards for shelters"
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9:27 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 11, 2008
re: "Supervisor proposes standards for shelters"
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Examiner Reader said:
Why did I not see this story on wjz. This topic is the disgrace of humanity literally. I see these people begging on mlk in baltimore with obvious disabilities and I just want to get them away from my big rig, what is wrong with us, me. Why can we not address this like other issues and find solutions. It's like leprosy,aids,drug addiction. There has got to be a way. I wish the smart people would get together and solve it. thank you charles e brumdage
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Antwan said: said:
i dont see why they are complaining..why cant the city build a shelter there...what makes there area so important.
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Examiner Reader said:
"The costs to implement the standards, according to Ammiano’s office will be about $135,000 annually, which includes hiring a new employee at the Department of Public Health to ensure compliance and an initial one-time cost of $108,000 for purchase of washers and dryers." I guess I don't mind the cost, but how come the Stupervisor's can't spend my property tax dollars to pave the potholes on my street, or remove the trash and human excrement on the sidewalks, remove the graffiti, sweep up the broken glass from the car windows that have been smashed by "quality of life" criminals robbing car backseats and glove boxes, oh and while your at it Stupervisors how about adding some new street lighting so that perhaps the drive by shooters my perhaps be put off by all the new light? Oh well one can only wish. Hey was that the Blue Angels I heard flying around last night shooting randomly in SOMA again???
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Examiner Reader said:
Go Tom, its about time. How rude the staff can be. I'm not killing anyone, I'm just asking for more free stuff. I want free tiolet paper, I want a clean bed, I want a place to sleep after a day of panhandling. Oh, by the way, where is my meal?
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