The nonprofit that provides the only overnight emergency winter shelter in McLean County is assessing how it will continue to shelter people this year after Bloomington city officials determined it was sheltering too many people in November 2022.
Salvation Army major Dan Leisher told WGLT the Christian charitable organization and the city have been in talks since a fire code inspection last fall found the number of people at the Safe Harbor shelter exceeded what the building could safely hold.
“We are committed to providing safe and welcoming shelters for all seeking help, so we are taking steps to continue to help those in need,” Leisher said in an email. “We are collaborating with partners throughout McLean County to identify solutions to meet the community’s shelter needs. There is a drive among our community’s nonprofits and faith-based organizations to come together to find a path forward that will take care of all of our neighbors.”
The Salvation Army is two days into a needs assessment study which Leisher said will determine how much funding is needed for “facilities and programming.” Once the study is complete, he said organizers will “work to raise funds and seek grant funding to help bring those visions to life.”
In a statement, the city said it "has been in discussion with the Salvation Army since last fall about how to address the safety needs for the critical population they serve."
"We have offered the building owner options for funding, but ultimately respect that the decision as to whether to purpose those or other options to address these life safety issues are up to the property owner," the statement read in its entirety.
The Safe Harbor Site on North Oak Street had around 60 beds last winter, but had opened its doors to more people during the extreme cold. In non-emergency circumstances, the shelter provides overnight housing and meals to eligible people, as well as support to those seeking permanent housing and work.
Bloomington city manager Tim Gleason said in a previous interview with WGLT that officials are in the process of making up for lost time during the COVID-19 pandemic, which explains why things that may not have gotten attention in years past are coming to the forefront now.
"That's why you have this kind of window that you're seeing between an inspection and then, now, 'Why is there a problem?'" he said.
Questions about city code enforcement arose among some earlier this year after Hope United Methodist Church leaders learned the building they occupy is now considered unsafe for large gatherings following a city inspection.
That inspection, too, was fire-related, and its results unexpected for the church's leaders; the city said the building on East Empire Street that also is home to Regions Bank would need a costly fire suppression system if the church was to continue gathering there.
