The city’s deputy zoning director is recommending that the zoning board OK a plan to put a 75-bed overflow homeless shelter on Cedar Street this winter.
The Harp administration has asked Columbus House Emergency Shelter to operate the 5,500-square foot overflow facility, inside a larger building at 226 Cedar St. (the Marchegian Club), to help accommodate an expected 125 or more homeless people expected to need lodgings this winter. (Click here for a story on that.) Columbus House previously ran an overflow shelter a block away, but no longer has access to that building.
Columbus House’s executive director said it can have that overflow facility up and running next week — assuming the Board of Zoning Appeals approves a needed use variance at its meeting Tuesday night.
An advisory report released Monday, written by Deputy Director of Zoning Tom Talbot, concludes that the overflow shelter would not “impair the essential character of the area” or otherwise serves as an “unreasonable” use.”
He did recommend that the zoners set hours of operation at 4 p.m. to 7 a.m., 7 days a week, from Nov. 15 through April 30; and require three staffers on duty in the evening and two overnight, with a five-day-a-week onsite program coordinator.
The report lists 13 suggested questions for zoners to ask at Tuesday night’s hearings. Click here to read the report.
