Organizers of a proposed low-barrier intake center for the homeless in South Bend are facing some heat but they have a sympathetic ear not far away.
A nonprofit group in Lafayette is approaching their fourth anniversary operating a similar shelter there.
LTHC Homeless Services opened its intake center in January 2020 on a busy thoroughfare in the city’s core – near the downtown.
Jennifer Layton is the organization’s president and CEO. Unlike in South Bend, she says they were fortunate not to encounter much opposition. She credits the support of Lafayette’s mayor and common council, which seemed to satisfy the neighborhood association.
But some in the community didn’t like the sight of people sleeping on the sidewalk outside the center and leaving their things there. So when the group in May proposed a second project to build permanent supportive housing at another location, they faced opposition from people who feared another unsightly intake center.
LTHC decided not to try building the project there, and the center now prohibits clients from sleeping on the sidewalk or leaving their things there.
"So the first few years, it was a challenge, like finding the right balance," Layton says. "But now, fast-forward to four years later, there's no sleeping on our sidewalk because it's just not great to look at. We made a rule."
The South Bend organizers have said they want an ongoing dialogue with the community as they design and operate the center. Layton says that’s crucial.
"One of the greatest pieces of advice that I had was to welcome the neighbors into the center, so that when you build it you have open dialogue with them, so that they feel that they can voice concerns. Maybe you have monthly neighborhood meetings at the center. Because we can't just say we don't want those people in our neighborhood. Like, that can't be the answer."
South Bend organizers invite the public to an information session about the project at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Beacon Resource Center, 4210 Lincolnway West.
