Springfield closes Municipal Complex to overnight homeless
The city of Springfield is closing the Municipal Complex area during overnight hours starting tonight, effectively putting an end to the homeless sleeping there.
The new policy is part of a plan for dealing with the homeless that will provide indoor shelter nearly 24 hours a day this winter.
"There will still be some kinks, and we understand that and are realistic about that, but this is big," said Mayor Tim Davlin.
Now, unlike in the cold weather months of years past, Springfield's homeless should have a place to go during most hours of the day: the Springfield Overflow Shelter overnight, Washington Street Mission in the morning, and St. John's Breadline during much of the afternoon.
"By expanding the overnight shelter and the hours of the Washington Street Mission's day center individuals now have places to go to get in out of our cold Midwestern winter weather," said Davlin.
Sandy Robinson, director of community relations for the city, said he and his staff have worked with many of the homeless who stayed at the library, trying to find ways to get them off the streets.
As a result, he said, the number of people sleeping under the overhang of the library building during 3 a.m. head counts conducted by police has dropped from 25 to 30 a night to fewer than 10.
The PODS storage unit that the city had rented and placed at the Breadline also will close today. That program will be reassessed for next year.
Davlin said only two people are using the lockers, compared to more than 20 when the PODS unit was set up..
Relocation of the overflow shelter to the Salvation Army from the basement of the Helping Hands/Contact Ministries also will allow for 45 beds, compared to 36 previously.
Aaron's Rental has donated a television, desk, lamp and chair so that the Salvation Army can have a check-in area and activities for the homeless. The group still is looking for help with clothes washing or for ideas on ways to get clothes clean.
"We will provide them showers, but we don't have a way to wash their clothes. That's something we need so they can go out and look for jobs," said Archie Ford, who will oversee the overflow and regular shelter programs.
Ford said the overflow shelter will operate much as it did at Contact Ministries.
People will check in before 7 p.m., eat at 7:15 p.m. and have smoke breaks every hour. Smoke breaks will be staggered with the smoke breaks of regular shelter residents.
"Once you're in, you're in for the night," Ford said. "As long as your behavior is not endangering others, you can stay. If you can be a little high or a little drunk and still be cool about it, it's OK."
He said the fact that the two shelter programs are housed in the same building also could be beneficial.
"Our hope is that most who come in here will want to move downstairs (into the regular shelter program)," he said. The regular shelter has more rules, and residents set goals for finding work and permanent housing.
Ford said the overflow shelter will cost the Salvation Army about $30,000 a year, but the program could use more money. Anyone interested in donating, volunteering to wash clothes, or who has ideas for getting clothes cleaned, is asked to contact Ford or Major Barbara Logan at 525-2196.
Sarah Antonacci can be reached at (217) 788-1529 or sarah.antonacci@sj-r.com.
Winter resources for the homeless in Springfield:
* Washington Street Mission, 408 N. Fourth St., has agreed to open at 7 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. and will stay open until noon. Coffee and doughnuts will be available.
*St. John's Breadline, open in two shifts, from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., and from 2:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
*From 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., homeless people can stay at the Springfield Overflow Shelter, housed in the Salvation Army multi-purpose room at Sixth and Carpenter Streets. The number of beds in the overflow shelter has been expanded from 36 to 45.