My position regarding the regulation of the homeless shelter is being misstated, apparently deliberately and by people who have a political agenda. So here are the facts:
Park Ridge has an “exclusionary” zoning ordinance, which means that if something is not specifically permitted by the ordinance it is not allowed. Our zoning ordinance, as re-written and adopted on May 9, 2007, did not list homeless shelters as a permissible use; and, therefore, they were not permitted at all.
On September 8, 2008, the City’s Planning & Zoning Commission approved and recommended a text amendment to that ordinance that permitted homeless shelters, with certain restrictions, so long as the operator of a shelter first obtained a special use permit. On November 17, 2008, Aldermen DiPietro, Bach, Allegretti, Wsol, and I all voted to adopt the substance of P&Z’s recommended text amendment permitting homeless shelters, also with restrictions.
The Council voted to require any organization providing health and background screening services for homeless shelters to be a co-applicant with whoever would be applying for the special use permit. The reason for that requirement was to ensure that the health and safety of volunteers, homeless individuals and school children would be protected; and that requirement was approved by a 6 - 1 majority of the aldermen, including Aldermen DiPietro, Bach, Allegretti and Carey who support Howard Frimark for re-election.
With those new regulations in place, St. Paul of the Cross, and any other church or other organization, was free to apply for a special use permit to open a homeless shelter; and if PADS was going to provide the health and background screening, it would have to be a co-applicant.
Rather than accept even that limited accountability to the City of Park Ridge, however, PADS chose to walk away from the process that was – by some accounts – two years in the making. The reason PADS gave for abandoning the effort (as reported in the local papers) was that it was too late in the year to pursue opening a shelter. That suggests that St. Paul and PADS, or anyone else and PADS, can apply to open a shelter next October.
To those who say that I advocate a philosophy that the successful have no obligation to help the poor, I say without reservation or qualification: You are wrong.
I have supported a number of charities, including our local Center of Concern which is committed to helping the homeless in ways that seek to end rather than perpetuate homelessness. When I was a young lawyer, I volunteered at a homeless shelter for abused women in Chicago. I am a regular "Streetwise" reader, and I often buy lunches for those unfortunates begging for money in the Loop.
I personally endorse the Center of Concern’s model of helping “cure” homelessness by helping homeless individuals secure shelter 7 nights a week in the same place, so they have some stability and a foundation upon which they can rebuild their lives. Nevertheless, I am not "anti-PADS": I am "pro-regulation." And, based on their votes last November, so is every other member of the City Council, save for Alderman Robert Ryan.
Finally, if I had been mayor the past two years, the homeless shelter would not have been turned into a political football that divided our community and even some of our church congregations. I would have used my leadership position to help strike a balance between the positive aspects of helping the homeless and ensuring the safety and security of all involved. Unfortunately, that was not the tack taken by the current mayor, and the result is now history.
Anyone who wants to speak with me directly on the issue can either call me at (847) 430-3165 or write me at
dave@electdaveschmidt.com. I will respond to anyone who contacts me.