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St. John’s Ministries wants to expand capacity and remove seasonal restrictions of its emergency homeless shelter for women at 700 E. Walnut St. in Green Bay by requesting two changes to the shelter’s conditional use permit.
The proposed amendments would strike out wording that currently restricts the emergency shelter’s operations to between Nov. 1 and April 30, as well as let the nonprofit shelter 70 women a night, or 12 more than its current maximum capacity of 58, according to a letter signed by the nonprofit’s executive director Jesse Brunette. No additional bunk beds would be added, the letter noted; in the event that more than 58 women needed shelter, mats would be put on the floor.
“This would provide the flexibility needed to respond to the growing need for shelter in our community and, if appropriate in the future, operate year-round,” Brunette wrote. The letter later continued that, “Increasing the permitted capacity will ensure we can continue to meet the needs of women experiecing homelessness without turning anyone away.”
The ask ― if approved by the City Council ― would mark an operational shift in one of the city’s most prominent homeless shelter organizations as the number of Brown County residents without a home continues to climb. Since opening in 2005, St. John’s shelters have operated, in some capacity, as places of last resort with low barriers to entry during the colder months of the year.
St. John’s Ministries Women’s Shelter nearly reached its 58-person capacity during its most recent shelter season, Brunette said. The shelter housed over 50 women on 16 nights, and one night, was one person away from hitting its maximum capacity, Brunette said. At the June 16 Protection and Policy Committee meeting, he attributed the rise in homelessness to the rising cost of housing, which has been the area’s biggest need for years. About a quarter of those who come to St. John’s Ministries have full-time jobs, Brunette said. “They just can’t afford the housing costs, which have surged,” he said
“This request is really borne out of necessity.” Brunette said.
St. John’s Ministries Women’s Shelter and Wellspring at 700 E. Walnut St.
The nonprofit’s request was long expected, with Brunette telling the committee in June that St. John’s Ministries would submit a revision to its conditional use permit “some time this summer to prepare for what could be maybe a dozen more women, if needed.”
He had not been at liberty to elaborate on the nonprofit’s plans “to maybe provide additional options for people” in 2026, though indicated that St. John’s Ministries was in “a stage of strategic planning.”
“I would certainly not want to rush or engage into a process that we’re not ready to adhere to,” Brunette told committee members when asked if St. John’s had ever considered a year-round sheltering program, “but I think we’ve recognized that we need to shift within our community to at least pilot something next year.” He said St. John’s Ministries has a “safe sleep” program that provides shelter to individuals identified as the most vulnerable community members during the nonprofit’s off-season.
Brunette told the committee that given the increased homelessness population, the nonprofit’s request would prevent a moral dilemma if a 59th woman needed shelter.
“Even though I would guess you would want us to be in compliance with city government, you understand turning away woman 59 on a 10-degree night could be deadly, and we would never want to morally be placed in that position,” Brunette told the committee.
The proposed request also follows recent philosophical changes to the nonprofit’s daytime services. The nonprofit historically wanted those who entered its Wellspring and Micah Center daytime locations to be productive; things like sleeping or soda were prohibited. The policy became ill-suited and out-of-touch with the growing need for homelessness services, Brunette told committee members.
City staff sent out notice of the anticipated revisions to neighboring residents on Aug. 25, said Stephanie Hummel, a city planner. St. John’s Ministries sent its own letter to those living within 250 feet of the shelter on Aug. 26, according to Tony Schneider, the nonprofit’s director of community engagement.
They said feedback from residents and city staff has been overwhelmingly positive, and expect the request to pass the Plan Commission’s Sept. 8 meeting before landing on the City Council’s Sept. 16 agenda for final approval.
Jesse Lin is a reporter covering the community of Green Bay and its surroundings, as well as politics in northeastern Wisconsin. Contact him at 920-834-4250 or jlin@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: St. John’s Ministries wants to extend capacity at women’s shelter
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