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Homeless shelter celebrates opening By ANITA KUMAR © St. Petersburg Times, published April 21, 1998 LEARWATER -- At times, it looked as if Clearwater's homeless shelter would never open. But Monday, after five years of neighborhood opposition, financial problems and zoning restrictions, the shelter opened its doors. About 200 people gathered outside the shelter at 1339 Park St. in downtown to celebrate the grand opening and tour the building. The 48-bed shelter will serve North Pinellas County and will replace a smaller, temporary shelter run by the Salvation Army. Residents from the Salvation Army shelter will be the first to move into the new shelter Wednesday night. "Our goal is to reduce homelessness person by person," said police Chief Sid Klein, who led the project. "The homeless are not to be pitied but given due rights and responsibilities." The shelter, run by the non-profit Clearwater Homeless Intervention Project, is different from others in the Tampa Bay area. Clearwater modeled its shelter after those in San Diego, Philadelphia and Orlando, where residents have to abide by a number of rules and must try to make it on their own. Residents, who will be registered and photographed when they first come in, must get jobs within seven days, attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings whether or not they are addicted, participate in counseling and abide by a curfew. In return, the shelter will offer meals at the adjoining St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen, medical treatment, laundry facilities, clothes and other services, such as helping residents open bank accounts. Terry Hammond, the shelter's executive director, said the shelter is not for everyone. But he said he thinks there are enough people on the street who want to get on their feet again. Hammond said he expects 1,700 people to use services at the shelter during the next year. The county has an estimated 3,000 homeless people, according to the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless. The 8,000-square-foot shelter includes separate dorms for men, women and families, a kitchen, a break room with a microwave and TV, a tiny library and rooms where residents can talk to counselors. The building also will include a police substation for officers who patrol downtown on bikes and have been asked to pay particular attention to the neighborhood around the shelter. The homeless intervention project built the shelter with about $650,000 to $750,000 in city and county grants and the rest in donations. Hammond said it will take at least $300,000 a year to operate the shelter, which includes salaries for eight people. The city will pay $100,000 a year for three years to cover operating costs. Hammond will have to raise the rest. After a few years, Hammond hopes to raise enough money through donations to be pay for the operating costs. He wants to try to raise at least $200,000 through private donations and corporate sponsorships this year. In addition to giving money, Hammond also urges people to recruit churches or civic organizations to sponsor meals at the soup kitchen, mentor or tutor clients, donate clothes, personal hygiene products and items that could be used as incentives, such as movie passes and tickets to sporting events. For information on donations, call the shelter at 466-6612. Business | Citrus | Commentary | Entertainment Hernando | Floridian | Obituaries | Pasco | Sports State | Tampa Bay | World & Nation © Copyright 1998 St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.