Barnstable School Committee Opposes Shelter Move 150 Yards From Hyannis Elementary
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 18
Barnstable School Committee Opposes Shelter Move 150 Yards From Hyannis Elementary
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 18
Barnstable’s school committee voted May 6 to send a letter opposing plans to move St. Joseph’s House to a site about 150 yards — a five-minute walk — from Hyannis West Elementary School.
7 a.m. is the flashpoint: residents and a longtime shelter worker said guests are required to leave each morning just as children are arriving at school, raising safety and neighborhood concerns.
Housing Assistance Corporation and Catholic Charities secured a building permit despite zoning that bars shelters there, with Town Councilor Betty Ludtke saying a religious exemption allowed the project to proceed.
The groups behind the move said a security plan would protect both guests and the community, adding the current shelter already operates near schools and bus stops without past problems.
Mike Judge, a school committee member, warned the relocation could also bring added security costs, widening the dispute beyond siting into financial and operational impacts.
As some cities put shelters on school grounds, why is this Massachusetts town fighting one 150 yards away?
When a religious exemption bypasses zoning for a shelter, does this set a new precedent for community development?