If you missed the point-counterpoint in the C-J recently between John Gilderbloom and Homeless Coalition director Marlene Gordon, you should take a look.
Gilderbloom maintains conditions in the city for the homeless population are deplorable and in need of regulation, while Gordon writes that local shelters are already getting plenty of regulation, and the problems Gilderbloom mentions aren’t so bad.
Today BOZA set its foot down in the middle of the road, softening an earlier requirement that homeless shelters must be approved through new zoning regulations that haven’t been written yet. Until the Metro Council takes up the issue of putting together some new regulations, BOZA has agreed to consider applications based on the old system.
Which opens the door for Wayside Christian Mission to move into the Hotel Louisville property it bought at auction, possibly by this fall. Today Nina Moseley of Wayside said she hopes to move women and children into the property by November, before it gets too cold outside.
The building at Second and Broadway is zoned commercial, and experts say it’s likely to get approval to move in. In fact, it could continue to operate under current zoning as a hotel, since residents will be essentially using it as one.
There’s still a shady side to the story, with questions about why Wayside offered a bid, $10 million, that was way more than warranted, remaining unanswered. But unless Metro Government, neighbors or Jefferson Community and Technical College officials do something, the hotel is on track to welcome Wayside residents soon.
14 responses so far ↓
1 Willy // Aug 17, 2009 at 1:55 pm
This is a shame. JCC really needed this property for expansion. I know Wayside needs a new home but this is not the best location to house the homeless. I am sure the nearby local businesses are not too excited about this as well. There are many vacant suitable commerical properties west of this property that could be renovated and converted to a homeless shelter.
2 JasonL // Aug 17, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Move the homeless west? Why would you say the west end needs them?
Why not move them to Dixie or OuterLoop. Or Shelbyville?
NIMBY-ism won’t help the situation, it’ll just lengthen the process.
3 Steve Magruder (I, not D or R) // Aug 17, 2009 at 3:49 pm
I support this 100%. The idea that there’s always a better place to shove our fellow human beings is heartless. These people should always be in front of our eyes so that we will consider what actions should be taken to prevent homelessness in the first place.
4 MetroHack // Aug 17, 2009 at 3:54 pm
JCC has needed to expand parking since 1976 when I was a student.
Wayside has done everything properly, they should not have to wait for approval. You can’t make laws retroactive. If this their move into this building is blocked we should all be ashamed of ourselves.
5 Carter Burger // Aug 17, 2009 at 4:03 pm
It’s not where they are gonna put them that bothers me, it’s the money issue I don’t understand and why won’t anyone answer it? Where did Wayside get $10 million and why was their initial bid so friggin high?
6 LT // Aug 17, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I was under the impression Wayside did not buy the hotel, Mr. Moseley did. Remember the huge salaries? And I have read many articles Dr. Gilderbloom has written. They are always passionate to say the least. Either way, he is one of the foremost authorities in the country on the subject of helping the poor with housing. I would never discount anything he has to say about the subject. Take what you want out of the story and take it as truth. He has made a career out of having a good reputation. Thank you John for enlightening the community. I just wish they would listen.
7 dude // Aug 17, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Wayside always says they’ll use the former hotel for women and families…I bet you anything, in a year from now, you’ll see homeless men occupying the space. There are way more men than women homeless, so why would they not use the bigger building to house the men and the smaller one to house the women.
8 Willy // Aug 17, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Replying to Jason L
I do not care if Wayside moves north, south, east or west. I travel to the west end 2-3 times a week. It is really sad. Vacant buildings, factories, warehouses, vacant, boarded homes, land and yes many homeless. It would be a 10 million mini ecomomic boom for the west end. When was the last time anyone invested even 1 million in the west end? (except the movie complex on Broadway that went bust) Wayside would help a blighted area, employ locals, serve where most of the homeless are from and not hinder JCC from its planned expansion. Just one mans opinion.
9 AreYouKiddingMe // Aug 17, 2009 at 7:37 pm
When you find out where Wayside got the $10 million to buy the hotel, see if you can find out where Goodwill got the money to buy the prime corner lot at Hikes Point where Arch Heady once was. Appears to me in this supposed time of layoffs and hard times that these charity organizations are doing quite well to say the least. No telling what that corner lot at Hikes Point cost.
10 Steve Magruder (I, not D or R) // Aug 17, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Willy, I wasn’t aware that a homeless shelter qualified as an industry significantly impactful to a community. And this idea that most of the homeless are from the west end… thanks so much for enlightening us.
I think I just went cross-eyed.
11 Chuck // Aug 18, 2009 at 6:54 am
I think that its a great location for a homeless shelter. It’s right on the main drag in town. It’s easy to get to. They have facilities there. Its a Hotel that isn’t going to be used for anything better than parking by JCC. What a waste of a good building to make it a parking lot or any other existing structure.
From watching Fox41 with Dick Irby, it looks like its well suited to help people back in step with life. As far as the homeless problem, it is multifaceted. Have you seen the current mayor offer any help for the homeless? How about the Metro Council? Nope, none of them.
A lot of these homeless problems would not exist if we had a decent economic structure in this country like we did 30 years ago. Where people could work for a living and make a go of it. Now you have people making 8 dollars an hour living in the streets because the wages, jobs, etc haven’t kept up with the increase in the cost of living. That’s the real problem along with the drugs, ignorance, and other issues. All the education is meaningless without quality jobs that pay living wages. But somehow the business community in Louisville could less than give a damn about that issue.
As far as the rest of this nonsense about trying to move them to the West End goes, do you really need more poverty on top of the 30 to 40 percent poverty of the West End. Poverty breeds crime in many cases. So that’s not a way to get these people back up and on their feet.
The entire idea of getting these people minimum wage jobs that don’t pay the bills is the most stupid and ludicrous idea that I have ever heard. They need to get people in this area a lot better in the way of jobs. They could have did that if the last 4 or 5 federal administrations didn’t trash our industrial and manufacturing base rendering us impotent as a service economy.
12 Willy // Aug 18, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Replying to Steve Magruder A,E,I, O, U & sometimes Y; & Chuck.
Steve & Chuck;
Steve you are welcome.
Wayside is a big operation. Check out their web and see all the programs they provide. Where-ever they move they will bring jobs, volunteers and investment. Jobs,volunteers, visitors will help the west end. I am not sure where most of the homeless are from because they are – well how should I say – homeless! I know I have never seen a homeless person in St Mathews, Lyndon or Lake Forest. Chuck you have to start investing somewhere, sometime in the west end or it will continue to be a wasteland. Drive by campus that was developed at the old Stock Yards. This can be duplicated successfully in the west end and help the local residents as well. When I am referring to the west end I am referring to areas west of 8th street. Take a drive down West Broadway, West Jefferson, West Market and some of the little side streets. Really sad.
Steve, get those eyes checked before it becomes permanent
13 dano // Aug 19, 2009 at 1:05 am
Quote from Chuck: “As far as the rest of this nonsense about trying to move them to the West End goes, do you really need more poverty on top of the 30 to 40 percent poverty of the West End. Poverty breeds crime in many cases. So that’s not a way to get these people back up and on their feet.”
So you just admitted that homelessness/poverty breeds crimes. And that’s OK for the predominantly business/school oriented area near JCTC, McDonald’s, Thorton’s., etc.? I hope I’m wrong, but if Wayside does eventually let everyone into their new place, it’s going to be a wild place at 2nd & Braodway. Envision: roughly 10,000 students on campus everyday and a large number of homeless people surrounding the campus. Tell me that’s not a potential recipe for crime at the worst and begging at the least. I hope I’m wrong, though. I hope for everyone it goes swimmingly. However, I’m with Willy on this one. Having worked with agencies at the NIA Center and the Lyles Mall, I know there is still a need for individuals to go to get their lives back in order…and there is lots of real estate in that area that is begging to be used. Similarly, this is just one man’s opinion.
14 Richard // Aug 22, 2009 at 4:28 pm
I’ve seen few if any homeless people cause any problem other than some begging. Maybe because if they attacked me, they would end up in the hospital. But 99.9 percent of them that I’ve ever seen in public were just down and out in their fortune. That doesn’t make them violent criminals. You can take me down to the West End and I’m sure that we can find some violent criminals. Go down to Beecher Terrace or the 12th Street Projects and find some crime. Or down by Shelby Park or areas of Old Louisville. Lets try 32nd street and all those areas.
That doesn’t make everyone there criminals but there is a group of probably 20 percent of the people that cause 80 percent of the problem.
Do you think that putting some homeless people in the West End is going to improve things. Wayside isn’t a revenue creating business for the most part. They aren’t going to bring back the broken factories and jobs that families had. Getting living wage jobs and keeping them here while fostering a stable social system will prevent these problems.
This is what the group of idiots on the Metro Council should have been doing all along. This is their responsibility to provide for the safety and welfare of all Louisvillians.
Obviously, its easier to talk about the NIMBYism than do anything else. Which is what Louisville is all about is that no one wants it in their back yard. So we put it downtown in the middle of the city. Would you prefer to move it to PRP, Fairdale, Okolona, Buechel, Fern Creek, J Town, St. Matthews, Prospect, Graymoor Devondale, Hurstbourne, Westport Rd, or the Highlands.
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