WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Faced with a shortage of space at its White River Junction headquarters, the Upper Valley Haven hopes to relocate its winter warming shelter to a nearby church.
The Haven, which typically operates a cold-weather shelter from mid-November to April, is asking the town’s permission to move that operation into Valley Bible Church’s fellowship hall.
Under a proposed partnership, the Haven would provide staff, cots, dividers and other requirements needed to run the shelter, while the church — located behind the former Gateway Motors property on Fairview Terrace — would allow it to use the hall and kitchen.
If the arrangement is approved, the church property’s footprint would remain the same and the shelter would operate from about 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily, according to a proposal submitted to Hartford’s planning office.
Michael Redmond, the Haven’s executive director, said the nonprofit operated the winter shelter in its Hartford Avenue building, where it could fit 15 cots for people experiencing homelessness.
“We operate the winter shelter as a form of harm reduction,” he said in an interview Thursday. “It’s cold outside, and we want people to be able to come inside.”
However, Redmond said, the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing requirements forced the Haven to close the shelter earlier than planned in March 2020.
Last winter, it didn’t open at all and instead directed people to Vermont’s motel voucher program.
With that program winding down, Redmond said, it’s once again looking like a winter shelter will be needed to serve the Upper Valley; its former home, which is now being used to aid in the organization’s meal programs, won’t cut it.
“We determined internally here that we wanted to be able to offer a winter shelter, but we wouldn’t be able to do it here in the space available,” he said.
So the group began looking to churches to help. Its first choice, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, didn’t have the required sprinkler system. But Redmond’s second call, to the Valley Bible Church, proved fruitful.
Neal Patel, the church’s lead pastor, said parishioners have for years considered starting programs to aid the homeless, but they didn’t have the experience to administer aid.
“Their need for a larger facility due to COVID coincided with our desire to help people made in the image of God,” Patel said.
He added that the idea was met with an “overwhelming sentiment” of enthusiasm when brought before the congregation. There are also plans to reach out to neighbors, including a neighborhood meeting proposed for next month, to involve them in the planning process, Patel said.
“We want to have a dialogue with our nearest neighbors so that we can undertake this effort in a way that doesn’t compromise the character of the neighborhood,” he said.
Brian Hathorn, who lives near the church on Fairview Terrace, said in a phone interview that he hopes the Haven will fully staff the shelter and supervise residents during its wintertime operating hours.
Hathorn, whose wife runs a day care center out of their home, said he is concerned about potential drug use or other problems in the neighborhood. However, he said, the Valley Bible Church is a “very good neighbor” and he’s interested in hearing more about the plans.
Becca White, chairwoman of the Hartford Ad-Hoc Committee on Emergency Shelter, said Thursday that she is pleased to hear that the Haven’s winter shelter could reopen this year.
“The demand for shelter space is going to increase in our community” as the state’s motel voucher program and other pandemic-era protections end, she said.
“Having additional beds means more folks will have an alternative to sleeping outside,” added White, who represents Hartford in the Vermont House.
Redmond said two things need to occur ahead of the shelter’s proposed Nov. 15 opening date. First, he said, conversations with the Valley Bible Church need to be finalized and input from residents needs to be gathered.
Then, he said, the Haven will seek permission from the town.
The Hartford Zoning Board is scheduled to take up the shelter plans during its Sept. 22, meeting, where officials will discuss giving the project conditional use approval.
The Planning Commission will then review the changes during its Sept. 27 meeting.
Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.