A jam-packed hearing room at St. Louis City Hall assembled to hear the decision of the Board of Public Service regarding the future of New Life Evangelistic Center (NLEC) on Tuesday, October 21. The influence of the mayor was interjected early in the proceedings in the form of a letter signed by Chief of Staff Jeff Rainford.
In a carefully crafted and politically sappy letter, the mayor asked if the decision by the board could be delayed so as to give all parties a chance to negotiate a fair deal for all. The board then moved to postpone the decision as recommended by the mayor. All board members agreed except for Richard Gray. Gray, who abstained, currently serves as director of Public Safety. The hearing summarily ended.
The vote and adjournment was met with a few hisses and boos (this writer included). One supporter snapped, “They’re waiting until the elections are over!” This is the sentiment of many around the indictment announcement in the shooting death of Mike Brown by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson.
Rev. Larry Rice’s statement to supporters gathered in City Hall Rotunda applauded the postponement saying at least the homeless would get another night off the streets. Should people who are already vulnerable be put at the whim of future negotiations?
All the resources and energies in defense of New Life for the last year stem from a petition by a group of downtown neighbors of the center who filed a petition to challenge its hotel permit. The petition alleges the center, located in a prime real estate area, is “being operated in such manner as to constitute a detriment to its neighborhood.” The petition cites loitering; littering; drinking in public; lewd and indecent conduct at and around the shelter by residents.
And did I say “prime real estate”? New Life’s institutional neighbors are Central Library and Confluence Charter School.
One of the big pushers of the petition to deny New Life’s permit is Brad Waldrop. Waldrop’s family began acquiring property around the center in 2006 and has not been shy about the desire to purchase the New Life Evangelistic Center. According to court documents by the center’s attorneys, Waldrop has implemented a personal campaign to show that the shelter is a detriment to the neighborhood, including organizing 50-100 calls annually to police to report city violations by persons in the vicinity.
Founded in 1972 by Rev. Larry and Penny Rice, NLEC has grown both in scope of services as well as geography. Although headquartered at 1411 Locust Street since 1972, there are other centers in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Kansas. The centers provide shelter, food, clothing, social services and job training for the working poor and homeless.
In the world I envision, homelessness will not exist. But if it did exist and if I were to become homeless, I would certainly want the safety net and compassion that New Life provides for the community. It is important that we don’t make invisible the men, women and children who need its services. They deserve to be treated with dignity and civility. Let’s make sure New Life retains its license to serve the underserved while working to eliminate the need for all homeless shelters.
