BOISE, Idaho — On Tuesday evening, the Boise City Council held a public meeting that lasted nearly 10 hours and stretched past midnight as people expressed support and opposition to the new Interfaith Sanctuary location at 4306 W State St.
After hours of public testimony, the Boise City Council voted 5-1 to approve the development of the new Interfaith Sanctuary location. The lone dissenting vote was cast by Luci Willits, who said the development, as proposed, is not "conducive to a residential neighborhood."
WATCH: Testimony on Interfaith’s State Street shelter highlights both support and neighborhood concerns
The Boise City Council also approved amended conditions for operation, including increased "overflow" capacity that adheres to zoning parameters and density requirements.
Katy Decker, who serves as the president of the Veterans Park Neighborhood Association, asked the council to cap the number of shelter guests at 202, restrict all admissions to a "remote waitlist," prohibit overnight expulsions, and deny shelter-related services to anyone who is not a registered guest of the Interfaith Sanctuary.
The council ultimately denied those requests.
Geoffrey Wardle, who serves as legal counsel for the Interfaith Sanctuary, evoked the biblical tale of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem to support the new space. He went on to argue that any arbitrary cap on occupancy would violate the Fair Housing Act.
A planning representative for the City of Boise placed the occupancy recommendation at 231 individuals.
After hearing arguments from the Veterans Park Neighborhood Association, Interfaith Sanctuary, and various stakeholders, the public was offered the chance to deliver comments.
During that period, varying views were expressed both in support and against the project.
Those in support cited the ongoing need for safe temporary housing for those experiencing homelessness.
RELATED | Homelessness drops by 2% in Ada County, according to newly published report
One particularly poignant testimony came from a man in recovery who said he had previously been opposed to the project but changed his mind after discussing his concerns with Interfaith Sanctuary's executive director, Jodi Peterson-Stigers.
Individuals in opposition to the new Interfaith Sanctuary say they worry that the proximal neighborhoods will be adversely affected by what they call a "low barrier" shelter for the homeless.
They predict that the neighborhood will see increased crime, vagrancy, and drug use.
One Boise resident named Sue accused Interfaith of not operating in "good faith." She went on to accuse the Boise City Council of "blatant corruption."
Another person said they feared that a stabbing like the one perpetrated by Timmy Early Kinner Jr. in 2018 would be more likely if the new location were approved.
Multiple faith leaders from the North and West Ends expressed support for the Interfaith Sanctuary expansion.
Following the vote, Interfaith Sanctuary’s Jodi Peterson-Stigers said the city’s approval will allow the nonprofit to provide critical overnight shelter in addition to daytime services. “The thing that we do is we ensure that someone has a safe place to sleep at night on top of all the programming."
She added that the next steps include preparing the State Street campus for opening, with 205 beds plus space for cribs, separate wings for families and single adults, and on-site services such as a medical clinic, case management, and education programs.
“We’re hoping for occupancy in November, with a ribbon cutting and moving our guests in sometime in December. Hopefully home for the holidays,” Peterson-Stigers said.
