The Salvation Army Shelter on North Main Street has been located in our community for decades. In recent years the problems with homelessness, vagrancy, drug use, urination in public and other crimes and anti-social behavior has had profound negative impacts on the businesses and residents of the Northside. The impact on Ketelsen Elementary has been so negative that they have had to place tarps on their fence to prevent children from having to witness all of these illegal activities. As vagrancy and illicit activity has increased in our neighborhood, the Salvation Army has been unwilling to take any action to address the impacts that their operation has on our residential neighborhood of working families. In 2014, Super Neighborhood #51 attempted to work with the Salvation Army to address the negative impacts on our community, and Salvation Army was not willing to take these actions.

The growth of vagrancy on our streets has contributed to a culture of lawlessness that has culminated with the murder of middle school student Josue Flores in broad daylight. Salvation Army has announced some proposed changes, but this is too little, too late.

A homeless men’s shelter does not belong in a residential neighborhood, especially a block away from an elementary school. Salvation Army needs to close its Men’s shelter on North Main Street and stop contributing to the decline of our neighborhood.