Seasonal shelter for homeless to close early

PORTSMOUTH

The city's summer shelter for the homeless is scheduled to close after tonight - a few months before a winter program begins.

Portsmouth leaders say they are exploring options for another site, but have not lined up another location. This summer, the shelter has been housed at the Neighborhood Facility Recreation Center, 900 Elm Ave.

The shelter has served about 40 to 70 people per night, said Heidi Watkins, the shelter's coordinator.

People who have stayed there expressed concern about the homicide Saturday night on Green Street. Watkins verified that the victim, Edward W. Bell, had previously used the summer shelter.

On Thursday, police arrested Jerry Carnell Chisholm on a charge of first-degree murder and Jean Michelle Alghani on a charge of being an accessory after the fact in connection with Bell's death.

Chisholm and Alghani had participated in the winter shelter program, Watkins said.

Earlier this month, Interim Police Chief William Corvello told members of the Olde Towne Civic League that he assigned a more visible unit to the downtown area in part to address homeless people who had "moved in" to the area.

The summer shelter was the first of its kind in South Hampton Roads. People line up in front of Oasis Social Ministry on High Street to be checked in, then are bused to the Elm Avenue site.

Ray Drake, who stood in line Wednesday night, said he was not using the summer shelter by choice. Three months ago, Drake said, he had a job and a place to stay; then he was hospitalized for three weeks and lost his job.

"All I want is to get back to work and find something to do," Drake said.

Portsmouth launched the initiative last year after about a dozen homeless people and volunteers appealed to city officials for assistance during some of the summer's hottest days.

The city established the summer shelter in the gymnasium of the Stephen H. Clarke school complex on Turnpike Road. It operated until the winter shelter program, which is run by Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless and rotates between churches, began in November.

This year, the city opened the summer shelter July 6 at the Neighborhood Facility Recreation Center. It was supposed to run until the opening of the winter shelter program in November, Watkins said.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Psimas said the shelter, however, was never intended to become a year-round sleeping accommodation.

At the shelter, people receive a meal, and can shower or watch television until lights out at 10 p.m., Watkins said.

City Manager Kenneth Chandler has said the shelter could not continue at the Elm Avenue site because youth activities are scheduled to begin there soon.

David Cartier, president of the Olde Towne Business Association, said the group supports both the efforts of local organizations that assist the homeless and the enforcement of city ordinances.

In November, the City Council passed an ordinance that changed Portsmouth's loitering code. It now prohibits people from blocking or sleeping on sidewalks or erecting tents in the downtown area.

Portsmouth police Capt. Sean Dunn said changes in the city code have given officers some tools to address some undesirable behavior. But they have not solved the larger issue of homelessness, he said.

"In any city, it's not a good idea to sleep in the streets," Dunn said.

Pilot writer Matthew Bowers contributed to this report.

Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com