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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 28, 2005 Marty Dennett works to keep the shelves full under the watchful eye of mascot Petey. The food bank will move to a location independent of the Interfaith Care Community of Ashland, which is selling its day-use homeless shelter on Second Street. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Homeless shelter will move Ashland neighbors drop lawsuit as building that housed services put up for sale By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune ASHLAND — A for-sale sign planted in front of a day-use homeless shelter has led to the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by neighbors who complained they were harassed by transient clients. Organizers of the Interfaith Care Community of Ashland hope to sell the building at 144 Second St. for $448,000, enough to buy a larger place at an undisclosed site in the city. "We’re moving more towards transitional shelter, more towards preventative services," said Sharon Schreiber, director of the ICCA. "We want to focus on everyone in the community, not just the chronic homeless." That was good news to Sandra Proebstel, one of eight current and former Second Street neighbors who filed a civil lawsuit more than a year ago seeking closure of the 6-year-old shelter. The neighbors instructed their lawyer that there was no need to proceed with a hearing and a trial scheduled for later this year. The suit was dismissed Oct. 20 by Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Mark Schiveley, court records showed. Advertisement "We wanted to get them to accept the fact that this neighborhood wasn’t the place for it," said Proebstel, who opposed the shelter from the start. She and others claimed that increased use and lax supervision at the site led to problems ranging from panhandling and drug use to public defecation. They argued that the presence of the shelter eroded tourism, decreased land values and impinged on residents’ right to enjoy their property. Schreiber said her agency and its clients — sometimes 1,000 a month — were unfairly characterized by the neighbors. But she expressed relief at the chance to resolve the conflict — and to better serve vulnerable people, including more women and children. Negotiations for the new site could be complete within a week, Schreiber said. The move will allow ICCA to re-evaluate its goals in Ashland, Schreiber said. "We need to look at what the real issues are," she said. Former Ashland Mayor Alan DeBoer has offered financial and other help to ease the transition. DeBoer also will underwrite changes for an associated agency, the Ashland Emergency Food Bank. President Nicki Stroo said the agency has chosen to move to an independent location offered by DeBoer. DeBoer said Thursday he plans to build the food bank a 1,200-square-foot warehouse and distribution center on the site of the former Handyman Hardware store, 2200 Ashland St. Stroo said the food bank has enjoyed a long partnership with ICCA, but that it will be good to separate the agencies. "I look forward to being away from ICCA because when bad things happen, we get blamed, too," she said. DeBoer’s involvement is part of a larger plan to create a one-stop social services center and affordable housing complex. He bought the former hardware store site near the railroad overpass in February 2004 and has been negotiating various uses ever since. Ideally, DeBoer said he would like to sell the land to the nonprofit Ashland Community Land Trust. He envisions a $3 million, three-part center with social service offices, a thrift store, meeting rooms and affordable housing, perhaps apartments. Final designs for the complex are nearly complete and could be submitted to city officials in the next few weeks, DeBoer said. The Land Trust is interested in the concept and has been discussing the idea with DeBoer for more than a year, Director Shelley Austin said Thursday. However, no final plans have been made. "Anything I can tell you is absolutely premature," Austin said. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail Homeless shelter will move ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Cheap Website Hosting Discount Hotel Reservations Online Pharmacy Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Student Loans High End Computers Online Casino News Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Online Casino Fundraisers Advertisement s