Salvation Army may have shelter solution

By: PAUL EAKINS - Staff Writer | Thursday, January 11, 2007 10:18 PM PST ∞

ESCONDIDO ---- Officials at the Salvation Army said Thursday that they may yet be able to run a winter shelter for the homeless, despite the Escondido City Council's rejection Wednesday of its second request to open one.

Mel Takahara, program director of the Salvation Army in Escondido, said the organization may participate with other Escondido churches in a rotational shelter program run by the Interfaith Shelter Network. The network already operates two shelters that rotate each winter among coastal or inland churches, including in Escondido.

However, a second inland rotational shelter would be established only in Escondido, with the Salvation Army sharing the responsibility with other Escondido churches, Takahara said. He said this solution to serving the city's homeless wouldn't be in violation of the council's decision.

"It is our intention to explore participating in this second site, but only if we can do it in a matter that is completely ... transparent and in no way communicates any defiance of the council," said Takahara, noting that he must await approval from his superiors before opening the shelter.

However, Councilman Sam Abed, one of three council members to vote against opening a shelter, said Thursday that the proposal "is violating the spirit" of the council's decision.

Abed and other council members have opposed the shelter because they say Escondido already is doing more than its fair share to help North County's homeless and that opening it only would attract more homeless people to the city. After voting against the shelter Wednesday, the council unanimously approved an initiative to create a regional North County task force on the homeless.

A countywide Regional Task Force on the Homeless already exists.

"I think the only way ... to stop bringing homeless to Escondido is to have a regional solution," Abed said Thursday. "A local solution like this would defeat the purpose."

Wednesday was the second time in three weeks that the council has rejected the Salvation Army's request to open a shelter, although last time, no vote was taken because only Mayor Lori Holt Pfeiler supported the proposal. At Wednesday's meeting, Councilman Dick Daniels joined Pfeiler in supporting the shelter.

The proposed 40-bed shelter would have been weather-activated, opening only when temperatures drop below 40 degrees or when there is rain. It was to be in the gymnasium of the Salvation Army at 1301 Las Villas Way, near the intersection of Centre City and El Norte parkways.

The city lost a 44-bed homeless shelter last year when Interfaith Community Services, which isn't associated with the rotational program, closed its winter shelter to open a permanent shelter for disabled and senior veterans.

After the Salvation Army's first request was denied in December, it was able to open a shelter temporarily by joining the inland North County rotational shelter program, but that shelter moved to Poway on Monday.

Rosemary Johnston, program director of Interfaith Shelter Network, said the second rotational shelter in Escondido would run through March 15, which was the end date the Salvation Army had requested when it went before the City Council on Wednesday.

Johnston said she hopes that other Escondido churches volunteer to participate to help the Salvation Army shoulder the load, but that not many are needed to operate the rotational shelter.

"We could possibly rotate it just to one other congregation," Johnston said.

Abed said the network's existing rotational shelter was established with the city's approval and that the creation of a second rotational shelter may require a second look by the council.

"There was a long time planning zoning around the churches to do that," Abed said. "If this is going to continue to grow and expand and bring more homeless from other cities, we might need to re-evaluate that."

Late Thursday afternoon the sky darkened, a light drizzle began and temperatures were expected to drop to 41 degrees in Escondido.

Asked what he would say to those in the city who are without shelter, Abed addressed the county's regional task force on the homeless.

"I would say to the regional task force, they should have been prepared," Abed said. "It was bad planning."

Abed also said the council should have supported his shorter-term solution at Wednesday's meeting. After the Salvation Army's request failed, Abed made a motion to allow it to operate a shelter for 30 days as a temporary fix, but no other council member seconded the motion.

In the meantime, the Salvation Army and Interfaith Community Services are doing what they can to help the homeless, officials there said.

Suzanne Stewart Pohlman, executive director of Interfaith Community Services, said her organization was getting "creative" in finding ways to help the homeless.

"We are using every available resource, and then some, that we possibly can that has formal approval."

She said the organization had a "scant" number of vouchers for motel rooms for the severely ill or handicapped homeless.

Pohlman and Takahara wouldn't go into details about how their organizations planned to help the homeless during the expected cold and rain Thursday night.

"We are concerned about that and we're not wanting to see anybody left out in the cold," Takahara said. "We believe that people will be cared for tonight."

Contact staff writer Paul Eakins at (760) 740-5420 or peakins@nctimes.com.