Building homeless facilities faces struggle in Sussex

Organizations providing services to the homeless and wanting to open facilities to expand those services have not met with much success in Sussex County.

Public opposition, the Sussex County Board of Adjustment, and even the Delaware Supreme Court have put up roadblocks to projects over the past decade.

And even before an application for a proposed homeless village on Conley's United Methodist Church property has been filed with the Sussex County Planning and Zoning Department, opponents are speaking out against it.

Conley’s, located near Lewes, is considering a proposal by The Springboard Collaborative Inc. for transitional housing for the homeless on church property at 33106 Jolyns Way.

If an agreement is reached between the church and Springboard, a conditional-use application will be filed with Sussex County, and public hearings before the county's planning and zoning commission and county council will be scheduled.

The Conley's Enclave would have 16 modular units for homeless families, each 100 square feet in size, constructed by the Pallet Shelter company to house up to 20 adults and 20 children. Other Pallet units would be provided for office space, bathrooms, showers and laundry service. Various agencies would also provide services to residents of the facility.

Springboard has similar plans for a homeless community in Georgetown.

Residents speak out

During Sussex County Council's Dec. 7 meeting, seven current and future residents of Marsh Island spoke out against the plan. The community is located along Camp Arrowhead Road near the church.

County attorney J. Everett Moore said policy is to restrict public comment to public hearings on zoning applications. But, he said, since no application has been filed, comments were permitted during the Dec. 7 meeting. He reminded council that decisions on applications can only be made on what is contained in the public record.

The residents said the proposed homeless village would not address many of the issues facing the homeless, including access to services and transportation. They also said the homeless should be housed in a facility with separate rooms and bathrooms, and not have to go outside to a separate building for shower and bathroom facilities.

“This proposal does not provide residents with a sense of dignity, self-respect and hope to change themselves and their lives,” said Chris Stormo. “We must and can do much better than this proposal. We need a much broader, permanent solution to the problem of homelessness here in Sussex County.”

Councilmen offer comments

District 5 Councilman John Rieley said he was concerned about the plight of the homeless in Sussex County. “The homeless issue is one I'm tracking quite closely, as I'm sure other council members are as well,” he said. “I think it's tremendous they are trying to address this issue, but obviously no proposal is out on the table at this point, so there is really no basis for a comment on that specific topic other than we are watching it and we are concerned to make sure that we represent everybody's interests adequately.”

District 3 Councilman Mark Schaeffer echoed Rieley's sentiments and added he was disappointed the Code Purple shelter in Lewes is struggling to get volunteers. “I think the first thing to tackle is to support existing shelters before building additional shelters,” he said.

Immanuel has two plans denied

Providing services to the homeless has been an ordeal for organizations over the years in Sussex County. Because a homeless shelter is not a permitted use in most county zoning districts, a special-use exception is required from the Sussex County Board of Adjustment in a process that includes a public hearing.

In January 2016, the board denied a special-use exception application filed by Immanuel Shelter in Rehoboth Beach for a homeless shelter on Hebron Road near Rehoboth Beach.

Immanuel Shelter returned to the board with another proposal for a homeless shelter at the former John Wesley United Methodist Church in Belltown near Five Points.

After a contentious public hearing, the board approved the application in June 2017. But the decision was overturned in March 2018 in Sussex County Superior Court when a judge sided with three Henlopen Landing residents who filed a lawsuit against the proposal. The Delaware Supreme Court upheld the lower court's decision.

In early 2018, Immanuel Shelter purchased the church and is looking to develop the property in an effort to provide permanent, supportive housing for the homeless.

Immanuel Shelter continues to provide services to the homeless and operated a nighttime Code Purple shelter in Rehoboth Beach for 11 years up to 2020.

Jusst Sooup becomes a church

Jusst Sooup Ministries, operated by Dale and Ken Dunning, had an uphill battle to open a soup kitchen for the homeless and others in need on their property along Route 9 near Coolspring. Their home and a building with a dining hall and commercial kitchen were built during a week in summer 2011 by volunteers coordinated by Schell Brothers as a Thanksgiving episode on the ABC-TV show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

In AR-1 agricultural-residential zoning districts, a soup kitchen is not a permitted use, and a special-use exception is required to serve food.

During an October 2011 public hearing before the board of adjustment, emotional pleas were made for and against the proposal. Because of concerns expressed by area residents, the board unanimously denied a special-use permit to operate a soup kitchen.

However, the Dunnings prevailed and complied with regulations to open a church on their property, which is a permitted use in AR-1 zoning. Their ministry, complete with a Thursday soup kitchen, reopened in August 2014.

The Dunnings operated a soup kitchen for nine years at Rehoboth Presbyterian Church of Midway along Route 1 prior to moving to their new home.