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HOUSES FOR HOMELESS Randall Theatre goers shun idea of homeless village next-door Randall Theatre says fans won't come if homeless are next-door By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Apr. 4, 2016 @ 5:02 pm By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Apr. 4, 2016 @ 5:02 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Some supporters of the Randall Theatre Company fear a proposed homeless village on a nearby city-owned lot could bring down the curtains permanently on their community playhouse. Robin Downward, managing artistic director for the Randall, sent out a letter to theater supporters recently urging them to show up at the City Council meeting at noon Thursday to voice their opinion about the proposal to erect tiny houses on a fenced, one-third-acre lot at the corner of Front and Third streets. “Although we are not blind to the plight of the homeless, we have had many patrons state that they will no longer come to the theater if this was to happen,” Downward said in the letter. “Since we have no grants or rich benefactors to help support us, ticket sales are our life line. If this homeless city moves in, we will lose patrons and thus our main income will suffer — eventually having to close.” Rogue Retreat, a nonprofit that works on homeless issues, considered the lot after the idea was discussed recently by the City Council. The nonprofit previously had considered purchasing another half-acre property in Medford for $260,000, plus investing another $150,000 into improving it so that 15 of the 8-by-10-foot houses could be located on it. By leasing the city-owned lot instead, Rogue Retreat hopes to save some money on what would be a pilot project and show the community that a tiny village for the homeless could operate successfully. Downward, who could not be reached for comment Monday, wrote in his letter the Randall has been open six years and has helped people with low or no income, offering free shows to those trying to get their lives together after abusing drugs or alcohol. “We do care,” he wrote. Heather Everett, Rogue Retreat program director, said the tiny house proposal is not a shanty town, and the homeless who will live there are expected to behave even when they’re outside the village. Everett said she and others have made several attempts to reach out to Randall officials to explain the project but have heard no response. “It’s all based on fears, not on what the tiny house village is all about,” she said. She said the lot can handle about 12-14 tiny houses. That would mean about 14 to 28 individuals would be living in them. She said only couples and single persons would be in this village, not families. Guests would have to sign in and would have to be accompanied while in the village, and homeless occupants would have to follow strict rules, Everett said. “The people that are going to be there have to sign a community agreement, a contract,” she said. “They don’t want to lose their home. And being a good neighbor is part of it.” If the city approves the idea, the homeless village could start by the end of this summer, Everett said. Councilor Daniel Bunn, a former Randall Theater board member, said the proposal doesn’t create a tent city and isn’t a homeless meals station that feeds dozens of people. “We’re not talking about a homeless camp,” he said. “This is a fundamentally different concept.” The city previously explored the idea of creating a feeding area for the homeless at the property, but the idea met opposition from surrounding businesses. Bunn said the homeless village would have far fewer homeless people than a feeding station. “I think the impact is less than the public imagined,” he said. Bunn said the city does have to consider the potential negative impacts and find ways to keep them to a minimum, including taking steps to visually screen the village from the public. “The part I’m struggling with is we don’t have a uniform way to deal with homeless shelters,” he said. Rogue Retreat is a well-known and well-run organization that has a reputation for dealing with homeless issues, Bunn said. “We might as well have a pilot project with people who would do a good job,” he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter @reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Apr. 4, 2016 @ 5:02 pm » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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