Interfaith Sanctuary, Boise residents continue clash over potential shelter location
Board members of Interfaith Sanctuary hosted an in-person open house Saturday at the building geared toward being the shelter’s new home, receiving criticism from numerous nearby residents along the way.
Interfaith Sanctuary is in the process of purchasing and renovating a former Salvation Army thrift store at 4306 W. State St. The State Street location would be an expansion from its current building at 1620 W. River St.
The potential move has sparked significant pushback from residents of the Veterans Park neighborhood and beyond, and Interfaith decided last month to delay its planning application to the city of Boise. Before doing submitting its application, Interfaith wanted to hold the in-person open house, which began Saturday morning and went into the afternoon.
Katy Decker, vice president of the Veterans Park Neighborhood Association, told the Statesman that many in the neighborhood feel that Interfaith hasn’t fully addressed the concerns of those living nearby, nor has Interfaith done the due diligence in measuring how the new shelter would impact the neighborhood.
“It’s not about being against homelessness, which is, well, a lot of the framing has been portrayed,” Decker said. “Every time we hear them talk, they say, ‘We haven’t looked at the neighborhood,’ (or) ‘We aren’t familiar with that stretch of the Greenbelt.’”
Dozens of nearby residents of the Veterans Park neighborhood heard details from the board on the plans for the building, and numerous people who attended vented their worries and frustration.
Multiple people told board members Saturday they felt their concerns were not being addressed. Others said they worry about rising crime rates in the area.
Matthew Oman, a Boise native who lives in the Veterans Park neighborhood, feels the process has been rushed, and told the Statesman that a big move like this should be handled with care.
“I felt they were trying to push the sale through,” Oman said. “With something that’s going to have this much impact on the surrounding area, we need to wait until we can have a proper conversation about it.”
Jodi Peterson, Interfaith’s executive director, said that it’s important to be accessible and continue to hear from members of the neighborhood. Many of the concerns raised during Saturday’s meetings were also raised during a virtual meeting in February.
“It’s an emotional topic on both sides,” Peterson said after the Saturday meetings. “For us we’re fighting to serve a certain need, and for them they’re fighting to save their neighborhood.”
Peterson believes the State Street project is the right thing to do, as Interfaith would nearly double its beds to 276. The new facility would house individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
She added that it may appear that the move to State Street is a sure thing, but there are hurdles to clear. Peterson said that Interfaith’s building on River Street has already sold, and that could lead people to think the move to State Street is inevitable. However, it’s possible for the shelter to be voted down by city officials. If that were to happen, Interfaith Sanctuary would have to find another route forward.
Though she thinks there are people who do not want Interfaith to move, Peterson said she’s confident that moving to State Street is the best way forward.
Geoff Wardle, a local real estate attorney representing Interfaith pro bono, said they plan to submit their proposal to the city by the end of March, though this decision is likely months away from having a resolution.
