HYANNIS, Mass. — Plans for St. Joseph’s House, a homeless shelter in Hyannis, to be relocated are underway, with property owners citing their need for a better facility. However, residents and business owners in the area are expressing concern due to the new location’s close proximity to an elementary school and a popular ice cream shop.
John Kimball has owned Steve Sue’s Par-Tee Freeze on Hyannis’ Main Street for five years, after taking it over from his in-laws, Steve and Sue, who opened their business back in 1977.
“My job is to make people happy, and we have the mini golf, and we have the ice cream, what better environment to make people happy in?” Kimball said.
Though there’s new concern about what a proposed homeless shelter right across the street would do not only to his business, but to the area as a whole.
“I worry about not only the business. I mean, that’s how it all started, but then you start getting into and understanding the program, and I start getting concerned for the area,” Kimball said.
St. Joseph’s House currently sits at 77 Winter St. in Hyannis.
According to Barnstable Town Councilor Betty Ludtke, the owners of the facility were asked to move the shelter out of the downtown area by various town officials and the local Business Improvement District.
She explained that with that request, the Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC), which owns the property, and Catholic Charities, which runs the programs, are now looking to move the facility to 460 Main St. It’s right across from Steve & Sue’s and just over 150 yards away from Hyannis West Elementary School.
In a joint statement, HAC and Catholic Charities wrote, “the new shelter will be more accessible to the 50 guests, many of whom are elderly and frail, and can’t easily climb stairs. The new shelter will have adequate space for medical care and essential day programs, such as housing search and social services. The current building is cramped and lacks such space.”
While the organizations behind the shelter call it an opportunity for a better and more accessible facility, not everyone agrees. Town Councilor Ludtke says the location is just one aspect, also pointing to concerns with shelter programs and systems.
“The people are forced out daily, right at the exact time schools are in transit; businesses are operating. It’s not going to work any better here than it was there,” Town Councilor Ludtke said.
Rick Brigham worked at St. Joseph’s house for 27-years and understands the nuances of caring for houseless community members.
“The impact is tremendous, but there’s a different way to do this,” Brigham said.
Brigham explains that because it’s a state-funded program, guests are only able to stay overnight, forcing them out by 7 a.m. every morning. With that program coming to 460 Main St., Brigham and many others are concerned about the impact that would take place with children in the area.
“They’re out on the street trying to survive,” Brigham said. “It’s not only problematic for the community, the business owners, the residents, it’s problematic for the neighbors in need.”
In a joint statement, HAC and Catholic Charities wrote, “We understand the concerns of the community, but we have a well-designed security plan in place that protects guests and the community. The existing shelter is near schools and bus stops, and there have been no concerns over the many years it has been in operation.”
The organizations behind the relocation received a building permit to move forward with their plans despite the zoning laws in the area not allowing for homeless shelters.
Town Councilor Ludtke said they were able to avoid those zoning restrictions due to the Dover amendment, which can act as a religious exemption.
Neighbors Advocating for Neighbors in Need (NANN), a group made up of residents and business owners, plans to file an appeal to that on May 1.
“Then, what we get is a public meeting because we’ve never had that,” Town Councilor Ludtke said.
As that appeal moved forward, what the space becomes, and who it serves, is still undecided.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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