St. Paul weighs future of homeless drop-in center as neighbors, businesses complain

The future of a drop-in center for the homeless in St. Paul lies with the city planning commission, which will weigh the needs of this vulnerable population with the complaints of local businesses and neighbors over an increase in nuisances and crimes.

The debate over Freedom House at 296 W. 7th St. is the latest chapter of a continuing struggle for the city and Listening House, which operates two drop-in shelters for St. Paul's neediest. The first drop-in center's move to Dayton's Bluff in 2017 led to neighbor complaints and a legal skirmish.

St. Paul sought to limit the number of visitors served each day to 20, compared to the more than 100 guests served each day. A federal judge blocked those restrictions in 2018.

After the pandemic struck last year, Mayor Melvin Carter and the City Council gave Freedom House emergency authorization to open in the West Seventh Street neighborhood. Freedom House offers services such as showers, private bathrooms, food and sleeping spaces 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

With the city's emergency authorization expiring, the Planning Commission could change the zoning to allow the shelter to continue operation. Last week, commissioners voted to extend the public comment period, with a second public hearing planned for May 28.

At the height of the pandemic, there were about 380 homeless and unsheltered people in St. Paul, according to Deputy Mayor Jaime Tincher. Overnight shelters had to reduce capacity, and daytime hangout spaces such as libraries or cafes shuttered.

But in a year where restaurants have faced unprecedented challenges, business owners see the day shelter as another blow.

Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub beefed up their security and added more cameras after a slew of incidents surrounding the bar, said General Manager Kathy Gosiger. People have come into the bar kicking and screaming in the foyer. Others urinate and defecate right outside, and Gosiger once found a woman smoking methamphetamine in the bar's bathroom.

"We had a man come in here threatening my younger manager. He had a knife. She asked him to leave and he went outside ... screaming and yelling and waving his knife at all the people that were sitting along this window," Gosiger said.

Jester Concepts restaurants group owner Brent Frederick and his staff noticed "dine and dashers" for the first time at Parlor St. Paul, who eat out on the patio or come into Parlor to order a drink and leave when the server turns away. Frederick said they didn't immediately suspect the homeless, until one of the managers chased after some of the deadbeat customers, who headed into Freedom House.

"Our staff is not feeling comfortable going to their cars, they don't feel comfortable to take out the trash," Frederick said.

There's been an increase in reported crime in the area, said St. Paul Police public information officer Steve Linders. There have been 19 serious crimes this year compared to 8 in the same period in 2020.

The department has increased the police presence in the neighborhood, with officers are on foot and bicycle, checking in at businesses and Freedom House with assistance from Ramsey County Sheriff's deputies. Calls for service tend to be disturbances and disorderly conduct, said Linders.

Listening House Interim Director Molly Jalma, which operates Freedom House, said that she is sympathetic to the business owners' concerns. Much of their work focuses on treating homeless people, whom they call guests, with dignity and respect. In addition to helping with hygiene, Freedom House offers other services like mental health screenings and vaccination clinics, said Jalma. Those who are under the influence are given services as long as they are not a danger to themselves or others.

During the day Freedom House staff take walks around the building or block every half-hour to every hour, picking up trash or helping folks.

"We want to be good neighbors. I don't know if we're going to be welcomed, but I would like to be accepted into the community," Jalma said.

Susan Adair, whose owned a condo across the street from Freedom House since 2004, said she's never seen her neighborhood like this. People have forced their way into her building, and sleep under tarps in the yard. She now carries pepper spray so she can still walk outside.

"I'm not a fearful person and I refuse to stay in my house and live my life in fear," Adair said. "But I am certainly more cautious."

They don't condone this, though it's likely that those individuals can't stay in an overnight shelter at that time, said Jalma. She encouraged neighbors to reach out to her about what they are seeing or come into Freedom House for a tour.

"We don't want to have a negative footprint. But we also are a part of the community and the guests who use our facility are community members. When we talk about NIMBY (not in my backyard) politics and everything, the question is whose backyard is it? Because I think some of the backyard belongs to our guests, because they live here too," Jalma said.

Since the day shelters opening, the city has enhanced cleanliness and trash pickup in addition to the added law enforcement support, according to deputy mayor Tincher.

The Department of Safety and Inspections is in the process of hiring street team ambassadors who can help individuals get in contact with support services. They expect four ambassadors to be deployed in mid-May, with an eventual total of 16 throughout downtown, said department director Ricardo Cervantes.

Last week, newly appointed Planning Commissioner Stephen Moore accused the business owners of lacking empathy, and shared a story about his brother, once a star athlete and now experiencing mental health issues and homelessness.

Frederick said he thought it was unfair to accuse business owners of not being empathetic.

"Right now restaurants need to survive. We're not trying to make money. We're just trying not to close right now," Frederick said.

Gosiger and Frederick do not want to see the day shelter stay permanently on West Seventh. They want more community involvement on the future of this project, and are meeting weekly with other businesses to discuss their concerns.

"We know that there's a problem and we care deeply. We really do. But having these people live on our street, is that really fair to them?" Gosiger said.

Zoë Jackson covers St. Paul for the Star Tribune. She previously covered young voters through the Report For America program, supported by the Minneapolis Foundation. 612-673-7112 • @zoemjack