Will shelter guests be safe?

The move of 25 overnight shelter beds from downtown St. Paul to Central Baptist Church, 420 N. Roy St., takes effect Nov. 12, 2024. Central Baptist, which has operated different shelter programs for more than a decade, will work with the nonprofit Model Cities to house the Safe Space program.
But will shelter guests be safe? That’s a concern some neighbors have raised.
The shelter in the Merriam Park neighborhood takes the place of some of the 64 beds that are at Ramsey County Government Center East, 160 E. Kellogg Blvd. County officials will put that building on the market so it will not be a shelter in the future.
Central Baptist could replace the 64 beds that have been downtown. That would require a conditional use permit from the city, which is in process. Permits are required based on number of shelter beds as well as underlying zoning.
Model Cities officials have met with Union Park District Council members to discuss the permit. The district council hasn’t made a recommendation.
Central Baptist Pastor Craig Dahl said that providing shelter for unhoused people is central to the church’s mission. “This what we’re about,” he said. “Obviously there is a huge, huge need for shelter.”
The shelter’s move has raised questions among some neighbors and business owners, who learned of it through the news media.
Dahl and Model Cities leaders said they are glad to answer community questions. He emphasized that the church has years of experience providing shelter and has been vetted for that purpose. He has had positive response from neighbors, some of whom have made donations for the program.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Central Baptist housed the Project Home overnight program run by Interfaith Action for several years. That program housed families in faith-based institutions for a month or two at a time.
Last winter the church housed an overnight drop-in shelter in cooperation with Ramsey County, for families and youth ages 14-25. Space reasons preclude Central Baptist from housing both programs going forward, Dahl said.
As it did for the other programs, the church will use part of its 1913 building to house Safe Space. The program will be staffed by Model Cities.
Model Cities has a two-year lease with the church, with a third-year option, said Dahl.
The long-term intent is to find as permanent home for the shelter.
“We are incredibly grateful for the partnership with Central Baptist Church,” said Model Cities CEO Kizzy Downie in a press release. “Their support has been instrumental in making this relocation possible. This collaboration embodies the strength of community and shared compassion for our fellow neighbors experiencing crisis.”
Safe Space began in 2017 in the basement of the Government Center East Building, as a winter overnight space operated by Ramsey County. In 2019, Model Cities came in to manage the space for the county. The space also transitioned to year-round use that year.
In 2023, county officials announced plans to sell the building. For several months Model Cities officials weighed relocation to a vacant dormitory building at Luther Seminary in St. Anthony Park neighborhood. Seminary officials dropped that proposal in May in the face of neighborhood opposition.
Safe Space isn’t a drop-in facility. It operates on a referral-only basis, with everyone requiring a reservation to stay there. It is open 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. People are referred there though a county shelter entry and vision program. Those who stay must make a reservation every night and cannot store their belongings at the shelter. Once someone is in the shelter, they cannot come and go.