Racine---Questions are already being raised over a proposed, overnight homeless shelter that’s designed to replace one at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church that closed last year.
A new non-profit called Segue Racine hopes to open this summer in a building near Julian Thomas Elementary on Martin Luther King Drive that once housed a bar.
The building has been donated, but other hurdles remain, such as remodeling, hiring a paid, trained staff and establishing the rules that'll govern admittance and length of stay.
First Baptist Church Pastor Holly Anderle says it’s already been decided that Segue won’t admit sex offenders. "It's just not possible to find a location in a safe zone that'll keep them away from things like schools, churches and playgrounds," she said Saturday.
But Segue plans to be much more flexible in its admission policies than HALO, Racine’s primary shelter. Some contend the rules are too restrictive.
Before it can open, Segue will need to obtain a conditional use permit, a process that’ll include public hearings.
Those meetings will give Segue organizers a chance to explain why they believe their project is crucial. "By getting some of these folks off the street we can keep them safe but we can also keep the community safer, too," Anderle said.
According to a report in the Journal Times, the proposal is already receiving the preliminary support of Mayor Dickert and County Executive Delagrave.
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