GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The “Safe Haven Hope Center” in Green Bay has been operating as a low barrier shelter since this Spring. During that time the shelter has found some success and challenges.
As part of its conditional use permit, Safe Haven is required to appear in front of the City Council to give a six-month update.
Safe Haven Hope Center’s Executive Director, Cathi Oreto says the first six months have been “really good.”
“I say that with the understanding that it’s not perfect. We still are working out kinks every day,” said Oreto.
Safe Haven has been operating under its conditional use permit since May 19. Since then, Oreto says three people have “graduated” from the shelter with one who is in long term housing.
She added as many as nine of the allowed 19 residents have had a job at one time.
“They worked their butts off and they drank when they got home, but they worked. At this time, we have people that have offered them jobs long term, because they worked so well,” said Oreto.
Oreto says Safe Haven Hope Center is still being funded by private donations. However, she added it’s enough to pay staff.
The shelter is still pursuing grant funding, but Oreto says many require recipient to have been operating for a minimum length of time.
There have been 43 police calls attached to the property. Despite that, Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis says that GBPD hasn’t experienced “a whole lot of issues” with Safe Haven.
“There’s been a few arrests for bail jumping, mostly related to someone who was drinking in violation of a probation restriction. We’ve only had one probable cause arrest for a pretty low-level disorderly conduct that was for something was happening outside,” said Davis.
Davis added that 16 of those calls were either initiated by police, such as assisting with probation and parole home visits, or calls that are listed at the address but unrelated like traffic collisions. Oreto says she has made many of the other calls herself.
“It’s just helping getting someone removed from the property for the moment so that we can welcome them back and try again the next day,” said Oreto.
Oreto says the shelter has had 22 total residents spread out over the last six months. She added two people chose to leave and go back to the streets.
At this time, Safe Haven says it currently has 16 residents in the home at 315 S. Jefferson St.
However, it anticipates admitting three more people. That would get the shelter back to its approved limit of 19.
