Under the new agreement with the city, Davis Community Church, or DCC, will be able to take in as many as 64 homeless people at its winter shelter. The old limit was 25.
People who live near the church say, being downtown, they’re already disproportionately affected by the homeless. Doree Ruud is one of those neighbors.
“We are not uncompassionate people who don’t want these people to be served. We think that DCC should have overview when their programs spill out into the community.”
But supporters of the agreement like Bernie Goldsmith say the church is providing a vital service that shouldn’t be interrupted.
“The real argument here can be encapsulated in the following statement: ‘I don’t have anything against the homeless, I just don’t want them around me.”
Under the new agreement, the church must let neighbors know if it decides to take in more homeless people and call in a mediator to resolve objections.
People who live near the church say, being downtown, they’re already disproportionately affected by the homeless. Doree Ruud is one of those neighbors.
“We are not uncompassionate people who don’t want these people to be served. We think that DCC should have overview when their programs spill out into the community.”
But supporters of the agreement like Bernie Goldsmith say the church is providing a vital service that shouldn’t be interrupted.
“The real argument here can be encapsulated in the following statement: ‘I don’t have anything against the homeless, I just don’t want them around me.”
Under the new agreement, the church must let neighbors know if it decides to take in more homeless people and call in a mediator to resolve objections.