THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 25, 1995 TAG: 9510250500
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
The City Council decided Tuesday to use federal grant money to build a permanent shelter for the homeless.
The council voiced tepid support for a shelter several weeks ago, but gave much clearer direction Tuesday to the city manager to find an agency willing to run a city-owned shelter. Members had been concerned about how residents would feel if their neighborhood is chosen as the shelter's site.
Council member W.W. Harrison Jr. said if the council truly supported the idea of the shelter, it should not let the idea die because of neighborhood opposition.
``We're going to just have to have courage of conviction,'' Harrison said, ``and not worry about making someone mad.''
The council has not yet picked a site for the shelter, which would be paired with a city-run drug and alcohol treatment center, although council members did discuss at least one option during a closed-door executive session.
Earlier this year, the city received an $800,000 grant from the federal government to construct or renovate a space to house homeless people on a temporary basis. Only single people, not families, will be served at the city shelter.
Shelter for homeless families is provided by The Samaritan House, a nonprofit agency.
Deborah Maloney, program director for the Volunteers of America Winter Shelter Program, said church groups in the city were thrilled at the council's decision. A coalition of more than 50 churches has been raising funds, feeding and housing the city's homeless for the past nine years, but organizers say they cannot continue to provide the service without city help.
``It gives the churches a real lift because they've been battling for so long,'' she said. ``I think it's wonderful that they've heard our voices about what the problem is with homelessness in Virginia Beach.''
Maloney estimates that there are between 100 and 200 single homeless people in Virginia Beach at any one time. The majority of those are longtime Beach residents, Maloney said.
In other business Tuesday, the council held a public hearing and discussed ways to change the city's voting districts.
Early this year, the General Assembly ordered the council to even out the city's seven boroughs, which range in population from under 1,000 to over 150,000. Maury Jackson, a member of the Council of Civic Organizations, and John T. Atkinson, the city treasurer, presented their ideas for how the districts could be redrawn. The council is expected to choose the new district lines by mid-December.
A second public hearing will be held during the regular council meeting on Nov. 14, which begins at 2 p.m.
The council also discussed how to write the ballot question that will be presented to voters in November, asking whether council members should continue to be elected at-large or by ward. The council is expected to pick the final wording on Nov. 7.
And, the council decided to encourage people to pay their city taxes on time by making it more expensive for residents and businesses to ignore their tax bills.
Anyone failing to pay city taxes on or before the due date will be charged a 10 percent penalty or $10 - whichever is greater - and 9.6 percent interest. The penalty will not be allowed to exceed the amount of the account that is past due. by CNB