WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. By John F. Bailey. December 6, 2007: White Plains is no closer to establishing a Warming Shelter for undomiciled individuals roaming the streets, sleeping in doorways or in subfreezing shelters in the woods, culverts and rooftops of White Plains than it was a week ago when members of the concerned White Plains clergy presented their plan to the Common Council.
A spokesperson for Reverend Carter Via of the Presbyterian Chuch of White Plains said Reverend Via thought there might be "something today" on the issue.
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Reverend Carter Via had been expecting a call from Mayor Joseph Delfino yesterday but the call never came. Via's assistant at The Presbyterian Church of White Plains said possibly there might be some movement today on the issue. Via and Rabbi Lester Bronstein said at last Wednesday's presentation they would go to the County Executive, Andrew Spano, to seek a commitment for funding the White Plains Warming Shelter, since the council last Wednesday had indicated informally by a 4-2-1 consensus that it would accept a warming shelter at a church within the downtown area of White Plains.
The county press office could not confirm whether the clergy had arranged a meeting with Executive Spano, had scheduled a meeting, or had even contacted Spano.
Meanwhile, the overnight temperatures plunged into the low 20s, high teens last night. The clergy had settled on a plan by which homeless individuals, turned away from overnight stay at county shelters because of refusal to abide by county conditions of service, would stay at a White Plains church overnight from 10 PM to 6 AM with the location altering between two to four churches through April.
To date, the program has not been implemented because it requires county funding and county staffing (supplied by Grace Church Community Services).
The city on another homeless matter, the stream of refugees from last week's 208 S. Lexington Avenue fire has been quick to arrange with Centro Hispano and local hotels for the placement of those individuals
