WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. By John F. Bailey. July 26, 2007: With the deadline for the closing of the 85 Court Street “Drop-In” Shelter 11 days away, Westchester County is making progress in convincing the men who have been staying at the shelter to enter the Department of Social Services homeless care program in which the single homeless are provided a bed in a country-run homeless shelter provided they cooperate and enter into county therapeutic and employment programs.

Last Buses Leave August 5. The Homeless Wait in January 2006 to board buses to 85 Court Street. The 85 Court Drop In closes after August 5. The county has been workiing diligently to convince the nightly visitors to accept County Social Services.

Donna Green, spokesperson for the county told WPCNR Thursday, that to date 19 homeless persons staying at the 85 Court Street have opted to participate in the county DSS homeless program.

Asked if there were any plans for the County to open a new location for the “hard-core” homeless after August 6 on the drawing boards, Green said “Absolutely not. We are making sure (by counseling them to join the DSS program) this (closing) does not come as a surprise to them.  Approximately 50 men stay on average in the 85 Court Street shelter which has been the “county drop-in shelter” since January, 2006. This figure may be less in the summer months due to the warmer weather, WPCNR notes.

As of August 6, the county will no longer operate the 85 Court Street shelter and homeless men in White Plains will be left to fend for themselves.