Mom who lives near proposed Interfaith Sanctuary knows the value of homeless shelter

The proposed Interfaith Sanctuary move is a complicated quandary for me. On one hand, I live about a mile away from the potential new site, so I am a neighbor. On the other side, I’ve done hundreds of hours of research on addiction, the court system, mental illness and homelessness in Boise.

I have an adult daughter with mental health and addiction problems. She is also gay.

For years, she was homeless on and off, and during those trying times I helped her navigate the court system, treatment and housing. We are a middle-class, educated family that gave our children many advantages many families cannot.

Homelessness has many faces, so please don’t judge so quickly. One day it could be your family.

Our first attempts were with the Boise Rescue Mission. We quickly learned of the strict Christian obligations and that the LGTBQ community is not welcome because the application to its recovery programs asks detailed questions about sexual partners and history and states that the “program teaches the biblical doctrine of no sex out of the marriage covenant (Marriage being defined as the union between a man and a woman)“ and that “only a heterosexual lifestyle is an acceptable lifestyle to God.” While that shelter offers a clean, safe place to stay for some people experiencing homelessness, it’s not a viable option for others.

At that same time, Jodi Peterson had just become the executive director at Interfaith Sanctuary. I learned that Interfaith wanted to treat and empower the person without forcing a religious doctrine. Over the years I’ve seen the organization expand its treatment program along with the court system and provide employment training and mental health services at its location. No judgment, no barriers.

From a practical standpoint, I don’t want a homeless shelter in my neighborhood either — who does? Our neighborhood is taking shape and becoming a family-friendly, outdoor enthusiast’s playground, and we want to keep it that way.

However, people experiencing homelessness are already a part of my neighborhood. Every day, I see countless homeless people living in the parks and hanging out at the gas stations. One woman has been sitting on the corner of State Street and Whitewater Boulevard for over a year because she can’t find assistance.

I’m ready to step up and take responsibility for what we should be doing to help the disadvantaged. Isn’t it better for my neighborhood if Interfaith takes the precautions it has promised to make this place safer for both homeless and local residents?

So much negative commentary assumes that the neighborhood will get worse if Interfaith moves in. I’d like to point out that the women’s shelter near downtown shares a parking lot with Dutch Bros. and several businesses. It’s also located near State Street and a residential neighborhood. This hasn’t caused a disruption or more crime in the area. It’s been my experience as a 28-year Boise veteran that City Light has been a good addition to that neighborhood. How about giving Interfaith the same chance?

On a more personal note, when I first started talking to Jodi at Interfaith, we knew each other through our kids and school. About the time my daughter began having legal problems, Jodi had recently started at the shelter. She found out my daughter had an important court date. She and her team went out and found her, got her sobered up and brought her to court. That’s the kind of person she is. I want her as a neighbor.