Boise P&Z denies permit for Interfaith homeless shelter. Shelter leaders say they’ll appeal
After months of discussion, debate, public comment, angry letters and expert insight, the Boise Planning and Zoning Commission finally reached a decision — and the answer was no.
The commission voted 5-1 Monday to deny a controversial proposal for a 205-bed Interfaith Sanctuary homeless shelter on State Street, with Commissioner Meredith Stead voting against the denial.
It was a dramatic moment for a project that has garnered significant controversy since the shelter first announced plans for the new shelter in April. And that controversy could linger for months in a series of appeals and legal filings.
Commissioners laid out several concerns about the proposed site, including parking, a lack of space for guests and security. But most commissioners agreed on one main reason for denying the project: It would adversely affect the surrounding area and public services, and no conditions could mitigate that enough.
Commissioners’ comments included concerns about the number of emergency calls at Interfaith’s current location at 1620 W. River St., and worries that the new shelter would further stress the city’s fire and police resources.
Boise’s police and fire departments have remained neutral on the State Street location. The Police Department testified that calls for service would likely shift to the new shelter, but that a list of conditions could mitigate the shelter’s effects on police resources.
That wasn’t enough for the commission. Commissioner Milt Gillespie said he tried to formulate conditions that would have allowed the commission to approve the permit, but that it would burden city staff with additional responsibilities.
“I’m really uncomfortable sitting up here and approving a permit that’s predicated on the city doing a whole bunch of things that they’re not doing now,” Gillespie said.
Commissioner Chris Blanchard went further, arguing that the shelter would affect the character of the surrounding neighborhood and would lack the necessary space for its guests.
The commission’s decision went against the recommendation of city planners, who wrote that the State Street shelter complied with city code and would not create an adverse impact.
Interfaith Executive Director Jodi Peterson-Stigers, who has been the face of the shelter during this proposal, said that while she was disappointed by the commission’s decision, she was not surprised.
“There’s just too much to know (for) commissioners who are looking at an application for a homeless shelter,” Peterson-Stigers said to reporters after the decision.
While the commission has taken its much-anticipated vote, it will not be the last Boise hears about the State Street location.
Representatives of the shelter say they already plan to file an appeal with the City Council. Exactly when the matter will go before the council is unclear, although Interfaith has only a number of weeks to file the claim.
Interfaith had previously raised concerns about guests not having anywhere to go if the permit was denied; the shelter sold its current building and is leasing it until it moves operations.
But Peterson-Stigers said the owner of Interfaith’s current building has agreed to let Interfaith stay as long as Interfaith is seeking to move into the State Street location.
“If it turned out that we were going to have to sell that building (and) go buy a new building, he’s out,” she said.
The proposal was for a 205-bed shelter in the former Salvation Army building at 4306 W. State St. . That would let Interfaith accommodate more guests in a new, larger shelter. Shelter leaders have said their current building is too small to provide a wide range of services.
The Veterans Park Neighborhood Association, where the new shelter would be located, has vociferously opposed the proposal and led an organized campaign against it.
In the months leading up to the vote, relations between Interfaith and the neighborhood association have broken down, and communication has been sparse, apart from a couple of neighborhood meetings held by the shelter.
Monday’s decision came during the commission’s fourth hearing on the shelter. The previous three ran late into the night with hours of testimony from shelter leaders, neighborhood activists and residents from all over Boise. In particular, the neighborhood association made a series of prepared presentations on topics ranging from the effect on emergency services to unsubstantiated claims that homeless people are more likely to be registered sex offenders.
It was clear during Monday’s meeting that some of those arguments connected with a few commissioners. Blanchard, for example, highlighted the neighborhood association’s argument that similar shelters in Salt Lake City were much larger, although some on the commission questioned the relevance of data from other cities.
“I was amazed at the the the amount of detail and research that the neighbors did and understanding this problem,” Commissioner John Mooney said.
Association President Katy Decker said Monday’s vote was the culmination of months of research by neighbors. Decker said it was nice to see that the research had an impact on commissioners.
“It’s certainly a group effort,” Decker said. “It’s just been an incredible amount of research and teamwork to put it all together.”
Peterson-Stigers called the association’s claims inaccurate and said she would’ve liked the opportunity to correct the record for commissioners.
“To put all of that crime and everything on our building, it’s just not accurate,” she said.
Interfaith’s attorney, Geoffrey Wardle, previously criticized arguments made by the association, arguing that the arguments dehumanized those experiencing homelessness and that he was “shocked and appalled.”
While a decision by the City Council is still weeks away, Peterson-Stigers and Interfaith already have another back-up plan should the council reject their appeal: judicial review in District Court.
This story was originally published January 3, 2022 at 10:17 PM.
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