WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. March 31, 2008:  The Common Council voted this morning 5-0, twice to keep 17 extra beds available for White Plains “independent” homeless persons at Open Arms and Samaritan House  for an additional 30 days. The additional beds  (at a cost of $5,950 a week) will continue to be provided for those men and women who have chosen not to register with the Westchester County Department of Social Services and abide by the DSS rules of assistance. (The DSS requires the homeless registered for DSS services turn over the majority of their social security assistance check, and requires automatic attendance at counseling and rehabilitation programs in return for a bed at the county-run homeless shelters around the county.)

Opening Up Early for the Independent Homeless: Mayor Joseph Delfino opened the Mayor's Office bright and early Monday morning for a Special Meeting of the Common Council to provide overnight beds for another month for homeless who are not registered with the county Department of Social Services. The Mayor again called on the county to work out an equitable distribution of the homeless commitment among all the cities, citing White Plains housing of over 500 homeless persons.

Mayor Joseph Delfino told WPCNR this morning’s special meeting of the Common Council was called after he received an e-mail from Paul Anderson-Winchell, Executive Director of Grace Church Community Center Wednesday evening, in which the Mayor was asked by Anderson-Winchell to extend the March 31 deadline when the “warming beds” were originally supposed to expire.

$850 a day, $5,950 a week for 17 Extra Beds.

The Mayor said he was surprised to learn  that the County Executive would not pay the $50 per bed daily fee  to Grace Community Church to extend the service (for 13 men and 4 women)  unless the Mayor and Common Council approved extending the “warming shelter” service.  The Mayor said he was unable to get the extension legislation on the agenda for last Thursday evening’s meeting of the Common Council.

Mayor Would Consider Further Extension

Asked if the Mayor would consider approving the warming shelter service indefinitely, the Mayor did not rule it out.  He said further extension depended on the circumstances but repeated the position he has taken from the start of the independent homeless controversy: that it was up to the county and the other cities to  share the burden with White Plains and for the cities to work out a solution together to disperse the  homeless equally.

The Mayor said it was not right that New Rochelle, for example, according to the Mayor housed just 30 homeless persons, while White Plains housed approximately 550 homeless between the Coachman Hotel (where homeless families are housed), Open Arms (housing 38) and Samaritan House (housing 13). The Mayor said the number of “independent homeless” using the additional “warming shelter beds” numbered 13 men and 4 women.

No Discussion of Future

In the Council Meeting this morning, the Mayor, Councilmen Benjamin Boykin, Glen Hockley, Milagros Lecuona, and Dennis Power each voted in favor of the 30-day extension of the “warming shelter beds.” Councilperson Rita Malmud could not attend due to a family illness and Councilman Thomas Roach has a business commitment, but did call in to check to see if his presence was needed.

There was no discussion  by any member of the council present of further extension of the warming bed initiave beyond April 30.