WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. By John F. Bailey. December 11, 2007 UPDATED 10:40 PM: As the cold edge of  a December night descended with a cold misery of rain predicted, Paul Anderson-Winchell, Executive Director of Grace Church Community Services told WPCNR tonight that the 17 "cots"  (13 for men, 4 for women) supported by the White Plains Common Council in a sense of the council vote last night were ready for unregistered homeless tonight.

A drive by at 10:15 PM indicated no stragglers outside the 186 Post Road facility, and all appeared quiet. 

He said most of the beds have already been planned for unregistered undomiciled persons who have been working with his Project Trust offices during the day, having meals at Open Arms Shelter recently. He said that no one will be turned away. Asked if overflow at the Open Arms Shelter would be bused to over Warming Shelter locations in Yonkers, New Rochelle and Mount Vernon, he did not have an answer. Anderson-Winchell said he would have to see how the demand went for a few days to see whether a transit service would be needed to transport overflow unregistered homeless to those locations.  Winchell said Project Trust counselors are going out with White Plains Police tonight to seek holdouts in certain locales where he believes they are holded up.

Anderson-Winchell said it had always been Grace Church's intention to have a Warming Shelter at Open Arms for the unregistered homeless, it was the "cot" issue versus chairs issue that had sparked the protest.

However, Anderson-Winchell said last night the 17 beds are substantially short of what is needed to care for the unregistered undomiciled population around the city in various hiding places.