Church's homeless shelter irks neighbors

Church's homeless shelter irks neighbors

Worry is proximity to elementary school

Friday, October 26, 2001

By GORDY HOLT
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

A church across from Highland Park Elementary School in southwest Seattle has agreed to shelter 20 homeless men beginning Thursday, and some neighbors are concerned.

"I don't mean to be negative," said Jim Glassley, "but they say these men will be leaving every day at 8 a.m., which is when 500 little kids will be walking to school. If there was a bus that dropped them off and picked them up at the church, it wouldn't be so worrisome. But they'll be walking from a Metro bus stop a couple of blocks away."

A community meeting is scheduled for 7 tonight at the church, the Community of Christ Church at 8611 11th Ave. S.W.

Church members could not be reached for comment.

Ron Angeles, coordinator of the Delridge Neighborhood Service Center, said he hopes the meeting will "provide opportunities rather than conflict."

"Hopefully, we can sit down and deal with this rationally," he said.

Anitra Freeman, the once homeless president of the Seattle Housing and Resource Effort, said education calms most fears.

"People only get to know homeless people when they are in the neighborhood," she said.

"People are afraid of the unknown. Three months later, everything is OK, and you hear people boast about how wonderful the homeless can be."

Glassley said fliers explaining the project were circulated in the neighborhood earlier this week by SHARE, which is sponsoring the shelter and operates more than a dozen others throughout in the city.

Highland Park Elementary School secretary Margaret Young said some parents have contacted the school worried because the men would be leaving as the children arrive for the day.

"I guess some of us feel that if these fellows were up and out before the kids began coming, we'd feel better," Young said.

"But I suspect if we get through the first week or two without incident, there will be fewer concerns."

Glassley said he is "conflicted" about the shelter, "because I know it's a good cause."

An unscientific count of homeless people living in cars, doorways and under bridges found more than 1,400 individuals last week as the cold-weather season began.

SHARE estimates that as many as 3,000 are left outside every night after all the area's shelters have been filled.

P-I reporter Gordy Holt can be reached at 206-448-8156 or gordyholt@seattlepi.com

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