WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. By John F. Bailey. November 13, 2007: With temperatures expected to go into the low 40s this evening, and still no Warming Shelters for the “undomiciled” in White Plains, those homeless persons who have spurned the County Department of Social services program, Reverend Carter Via told WPCNR he expected three churches to offer their buildings for Warming Shelters within 48 hours, then he would take those locations to the Mayor for approval as homeless shelters. He expected he would have a proposal by November 20 (the next council work session) or possibly earlier.

Via confirmed that the churches had to have county personnel and security to supervise the warming centers. He said if the other churches declined to provide shelters (as of yet no churches have said they would) Via said his church The Presbyterian Church would seriously consider running one on their own some way.

Here is my conversation with Reverend Via.

Reverend Via: My most honest answer I don’t know. What I think is going on is a proposal is in the pipeline that would bring together at least one of the current providers, Grace Church Community Center and its resources with possibly three congregations in White Plains to offer a safety net shelter for homeless persons who aren’t currently in the system.

It’s a mess, it’s complicated, I don’t think anybody on the county or the city level really wants to own this thing. Both parties (county and the city) said they would allow something to happen if it was approved by or driven by the other party, so it’s almost as if what they agreed to allow something as long as the mess isn’t in their hands.

For us, in the religious community, not that other folks don’t have a conscience, cause I’m sure that they do. We simply feel that right now we’re on the edge of winter, and when we think of basic human needs like food and shelter, we don’t think those things should be  subject to this particular way of doing politics – even interpretations of what’s good for people, what motivates people. When it comes to basic human needs I don’t think that’s appropriate.

So this proposal is in the works, some version of this will be taken to the Mayor and possibly to folks on the county level in the next couple of days and we’ll see what happens.

I think legally, churches, religious institutions can do anything they want, but we really don’t want to go in that direction. I think if you’re going to make more friends than enemies, you want to do everything you can to collaborate with other stakeholders, even if it’s the politicians.

From a practical standpoint, the county has the funds to help us do this well. We’re not trained to run an overnight shelter. Ideally you’re going to have to keep everybody reasonably ok with this you’re going to have to have security, some caseworkers on hand.

At the end of the day, if all else failed we might very well consider a warming center. But that’s not our goal. We’re still cautiously hopeful we’ll get something nailed down soon, very soon, what is humane, has a cot and a  bathroom and keeps people from freezing.

WPCNR: Would this be private with the Mayor or a public work session?

Via: We’re not interested in doing anything in secret. We’re again we’re pushing this issue because we think it’s a matter of conscience. Whether they own property in White Plains or not, they consider White Plains to be where they live.

WPCNR: Have some of them traveled to New Rochelle, Yonkers, Peekskill, Mount Vernon where there are warming shelters?

Via: I do not know.  I’ve had lunch in the last week with a homeless person. He suggested there were still as many as 30 or 40 people sleeping in various nooks, crannies and corners, in park areas, wherever they think they can find a place that suits them for the night.

I had lunch with a detective on the White Plains Police force, and he did not put the numbers as high. He is aware that there are a number of folks sleeping in or around downtown White Plains.

They’re around. What are the real numbers, I don’t think anyone knows. These folks, that’s part of the issue at hand. It’s not like they disappear.

WPCNR: Would there be food served at such shelters?

Via: The way the hours are set up. My guess is there’d be some snacks. At the very least, something hot to drink. The hours are such, it’s a 10 to 6 AM thing. It doesn’t connect with a meal. At the absolute minimum, a cot and a bathroom then we’d build them now.

WPCNR: Have you gotten three locations to agree to host it?

Via: I would say there are three fairly influential clergy persons to say they would take this proposal to their churches. There’s no absolutely guarantee that any of these churches would say yes. Given who these three persons are, there’s a better than 50-50 chance in all three of these places.

WPCNR: When are they going to pop the question?

Via: It’s in the works, But I haven’t heard from any of them that it’s been officially approved. That should be happening even as we speak.

WPCNR: When do you think you’d meet with the Mayor…next Tuesday’s work session?

Via: We will be trying to get a meeting with the Mayor as soon as possible (after churchs’ approval). Most of this is a work in progress. I hope it’s a fast work in progress. We don’t have firm commitments from any angle. We don’t have approvals  from any of  these three churches, though all three are probably likely. And, we certainly don’t have anything official from the city or the county.

I hope all of that happens in the next week, if not in the next 4 days.