Whether or not a homeless shelter belongs in a residential area was debated during Monday’s Knox Board of Zoning Appeals meeting. A nonprofit group called the Starke County Resource Center is seeking the board’s permission to use the Knights of Columbus building at 503 East Lake Street as a “temporary housing facility for displaced Starke County residents.”
During Monday’s hearing on the special use request, group representative Matt Ohime said the facility would not be a drug rehab center or halfway house. “It is going to be a place that gets displaced people back on their feet as quick as possible, getting them connected to the resources,” he explained.
Several local residents agreed that such a facility is needed, just not near their homes. Nathan Chambers lives two blocks away. “The crime rate could go up,” he said. “There could be more drugs. We don’t need it there. Do we need it somewhere? Absolutely.”
Other concerns included speeding vehicles and a decline in property values.
But the county’s homeless population may not be exactly what people would expect, according to Peggy Shidaker. She serves as the Knox Community School Corporation’s liaison for homeless students, as part of her duties as director of curriculum and instruction. Shidaker said that many people would probably be surprised to learn which of their coworkers or which of their kids’ classmates are actually homeless, sleeping in cars, tents, or motel rooms they can’t afford. She said 27 Knox Schools students were identified as homeless last year.
Still, for many of the residents who bought houses without expecting a homeless shelter to move into the neighborhood, other locations seemed better. Some wrote to the BZA suggesting that the temporary housing facility belongs by the jail, while many in attendance thought the former Knox Moose Lodge across from the courthouse would be a good option. But Ohime pointed out that lodge’s current owner, the City of Knox, hasn’t actually offered it to the Resource Center organization, whereas the Knights of Columbus council was willing to donate its building for free.
Beyond that, Ohime felt that displaced residents would benefit from being in a residential setting. “If my house burned down, I wouldn’t want to be sent to the outskirts of town until I could figure something out,” Ohime said. “I’d want to be around the people that are part of my community that can support me.”
BZA members ultimately felt they needed more information before making a decision. It was pointed out that the community is typically considered one of the poorest in the state, which could make it difficult to get donations. But Ohime noted that’s also exactly why the facility is needed in the first place. Additionally, board members wanted more information about why the Knights of Columbus building would be the only suitable location and what other options the group has explored.
