Wisconsin Rapids Plan Commission approves permit for west-side shelter despite concerns from some neighbors
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The city’s Plan Commission on Thursday approved a request for a conditional use permit to renovate an apartment building to become a temporary residential shelter owned and operated by a nonprofit organization called Mary’s Place.
While approved in committee, the request still needs to be approved by the City Council at its next meeting.
Altman Construction applied for the conditional use permit to renovate a three-story apartment building at 520 Eighth Ave. S. to create the temporary residential shelter. It would include 11 separate apartment units with common areas for a group kitchen area, meeting space, laundry room, storage room and mechanical area. Four apartments would have two bedrooms, and seven apartments would have one bedroom.
A temporary residential shelter is a place where individuals and families live temporarily, and they would have access to support services like counseling. Residents are usually able to stay at little to no cost. These types of shelters are run by organizations, like Mary's Place, which has operated a similar shelter in Marshfield for more than 15 years.
About 50 people filled the seats in the City Council chambers during the meeting, many who were interested in discussing the shelter. Applause showed support for community members who spoke both for and against the request.
RELATED: Wisconsin Rapids Plan Commission to discuss temporary residential shelter on city's west side
'In the strongest possible terms, we do not want it.'
Tori Peterson was one of four people who spoke against the project at Thursday's meeting. She said as a resident living next door to the proposed shelter, the issue is important to her, her family and the entire neighborhood. She told the committee the neighborhood has had problems and criminal activity for decades, and after taking 10 years to recover, she and her neighbors don’t want Mary’s Place in the neighborhood. She said a temporary residential shelter would cause more problems in the area.
“We do not want it,” Peterson said. “In the strongest possible terms, we do not want it.”
Another neighbor, Dennis Gaskill, said regardless of how the organization describes itself, Mary’s Place is a homeless shelter, and it should not be built in a residential neighborhood.
“It’s easy to get behind helping the homeless when it doesn’t affect you personally,” he said at the meeting.
He said he and his wife oppose the location but would be willing to help find a more suitable site for the organization.
Alison Gaskill said she would instead like to see the apartment building knocked to the ground to make space for a park for the neighborhood children.
'These people ... need our help.'
Mike Hittner was one of nine people who spoke in favor of the project at the meeting. He said he lives a few blocks away but would proudly live closer to a project like Mary’s Place that helps people get the help they need. He said he supports Mary’s Place just as he and his family have supported the Wisconsin Rapids Family Center.
Other people spoke about the need for an organization like Mary's Place and the help it would provide the community.
Rock Larson said that while he lives in Stevens Point, he has worked with the County Veterans Service Office in Wood County's courthouse and with the South Wood County Homeless Coalition. He said he has worked with Mary’s Place in the past, as well, and the group offers transitional housing and is not a homeless shelter. There are goals, rules and recovery programs.
“These people are out there,” he said. “They need our help.”
Doug Christianson, a health officer for the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, said he often interacts with people in crisis situations and has worked with them both on and off duty.
“This is where my heart is at,” he said.
Over the last year and a half working as a mental health investigator, he said he has been able to connect many people with the resources they need, but one of the biggest resources the community is lacking is housing. When someone is down and out and trying to use tools and resources available to move forward, the person needs to be able to take care of basic needs like food, clothing and shelter, he said.
Sarah Hoth said she hopes to see Mary’s Place create something beautiful to be proud of in the community. She said in her previous work with Wood County's health and human services departments, she worked with many people who needed transitional housing and were living in their vehicles because there were no resources to help them get back on their feet. She said the community needs the help Mary's Place would provide.
Mary’s Place has helped thousands of people in Marshfield
Jim Joyce, president of the board of Mary's Place, also spoke at Thursday's meeting, clarifying some concerns and explaining the goals and purpose of the organization.
Joyce said he understands where the fear is coming from, but the nonprofit organization has rules, screenings and does not exist as a handout. He said the organization has helped thousands of people in the Marshfield area over the last dozen years, and most people in the community don’t even notice where they are located.
Mary’s Place is a program where all residents apply and go through an interview process and background checks. Nobody can have any outstanding warrants, and all residents submit to a drug screening process. Residents have an absolute curfew at 10 p.m., and if anyone breaks rules, they have two strikes until they are turned away.
“We don’t play around,” Joyce said. “Other people’s futures are at stake.”
Mary’s Place will have a live-in manager and site director making up the full-time staff running the site. The building will also have security cameras, and people can only access the building through a key fob. If someone breaks the rules and has to leave, staff can cut off key fob access with the click of a mouse.
Joyce said residents also need to be out of the building between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., actively looking for work, and Mary’s Place can help connect people with the existing resources in the community that could help them. Staff also meet with residents weekly to see how they’re doing.
On average, people are staying five or six months at the Marshfield location, although after six weeks, residents pay rent to continue staying at Mary’s Place.
Mary’s Place covers costs through rent from tenants and grant money, Joyce said. The organization has already made an offer to purchase the building from the current owner. No taxpayer money is used for this organization, he said.
Permit can be revoked if health, safety concerns arise
Just as the Plan Commission and City Council have the authority to approve conditional use permits, they can revoke them if there are problems.
Kyle Kearns, the city’s director of community development, said if issues arise they may easily be resolved by working with Mary's Place and the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department. The Plan Commission and Council could also return to discussions, making sure the health, safety and welfare of residents in the area are being protected.
Kearns said there would need to be substantial evidence of frequent and recurring issues for the Plan Commission and City Council to discuss revoking a conditional use permit.
Contact Caitlin at cshuda@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @CaitlinShuda.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Wisconsin Rapids Plan Commission approves permit for Mary's Place
