Some Mapaville residents say it’s a good idea to help people who are homeless get off the streets, but they’re not so sure they want them housed nearby.
The New Hope Fellowship Church, 5919 Antire Road, in High Ridge, is proposing to build a homeless rehabilitation facility on property now owned by the Jefferson Baptist Association at 3627 Baptist Park Road in the Mapaville area between Festus and Hillsboro.
Dan Ross, lead pastor of New Hope Fellowship, said his church has a contingency contract to buy the 27.92-acre parcel that includes ballfields the Baptist group formerly used, an office building the association currently uses and another building the church rents.
Ross said the sale is contingent upon Jefferson County officials approving a probable rezoning request to allow the facility.
The property is zoned single-family residential with a maximum of two homes allowed per acre.
County officials said whatever might be planned for the site, New Hope Fellowship would need to go through a process that includes a public hearing before the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission, with ultimate approval from the County Council.
The church held its own invitation-only meeting on Aug. 29 on the property, and Ross said about 35 people showed up.
“All the people who showed up are good people,” he said. “I honestly understand what they’re saying when they say that this is a good idea but they don’t want it near their home. But we would get that response anywhere.”
Ross said church officials previously visited homeowners who have property adjacent to the proposed site.
“The (invitations) opened it up to a wider number of neighbors,” he said.
Ross said social media buzz has spread misconceptions about his church’s intentions.
“This is not a homeless shelter or a tent city,” he said. “This will be a gated facility for those who don’t want to remain homeless.”
Ross said the people who will live at the facility will be referred by other agencies, like Comtrea, the Jefferson County Health Department, the Jefferson-Franklin Community Action Corporation or the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
“These people will not just show up at our doorstep,” he said. “We will interview them before they are brought here to determine how committed they are to not being homeless anymore. They will be brought here, either by the Sheriff’s Office or by our own transportation.”
Once a person referred to the facility arrives in Mapaville, he or she will have to stop at an intake station just inside the main gate, Ross said.
“They will have to shower and have their clothes cleaned, right at the intake station, before they’re allowed to continue further in to reduce the threat of contamination,” he said.
Those arriving at the facility also will be given a drug test, Ross said.
“If they don’t pass a drug test, they will be taken to other places that can address that problem,” Ross said. “They also will have to pass a background check. There will be no sex offenders accepted; there are other resources available for them.”
Two residential buildings will be built, one for men and the other for women. Each will accommodate a maximum of 18 residents, two to a room, Ross said.
The existing office building will be used as a common kitchen-cafeteria and for medical exam rooms and the other for counseling, he said.
Ross said residents will stay about six months while they receive counseling and learn skills to land themselves a job and a permanent residence.
“A lot of these people don’t even have a birth certificate or Social Security card,” Ross said. “That’s one of the things we’ll help them with.”
Ross said those who don’t wish to continue in the program may leave at any time, and transportation will be arranged to drop them off at a location of their choosing.
“If they want to go back to a tent city in back of a Walmart, that will be their choice,” Ross said.
He said the entire facility will be surrounded by a fence and security guards will be hired to staff evening and overnight shifts. A minimum of two staff members will be on site at all times, he said.
Ross said he doesn’t know how many employees might be hired at the site.
He said the facility is intended to serve Jefferson County residents only.
“If they don’t have ID, they could lie to us, but our goal is to take care of Jefferson County residents the best we can.”
Ross said some neighbors have questioned why New Hope Fellowship plans to build the facility in Mapaville rather than closer to its church in High Ridge.
“Our property already has a drug rehab center, and we don’t want to put those things side-by-side,” he said.
Ross added that it also would be more expensive to build on the High Ridge site because of terrain issues.
However, he could not provide estimates for the cost to build the facility in Mapaville.
“We haven’t even gone out for drawings,” Ross said. “We’re not close to making any application to the county. But I hope people understand that as far as engaging the neighbors go, we’re far ahead of where we could be. We could wait to apply to the county and people could learn when a sign (publicizing a public hearing) goes up. We’re months ahead of that. We want to be good neighbors.”