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Religious institutions can now expand homeless outreach
Stock Photo – Plano churches in the Family Promise Network may now host up to 14 homeless individuals for a maximum of 30 days during a calendar year. The churches provide meals and temporary lodging for the families.
By Jessica Rush, jrush@acnpapers.com
An amendment to Plano's zoning ordinance will increase the number of homeless individuals allowed to stay temporarily at religious facilities.
The Plano City Council originally voted against the revision in 2010 that would have increased the maximum number of people allowed to be housed at any given time from eight to 14. A revisit to the issue on Monday night garnered unanimous approval in a vote by the council.
Mayor Phil Dyer was instrumental in getting the Planning and Zoning Commission to take a second look at the request, and he thanked the faith-based organizations behind the movement for their patience.
Dyer was speaking specifically about Family Promise of Collin County, which currently uses a network of 11 churches to host homeless families. Churches in the Family Promise Network provide overnight lodging and meals to the families after they have gone through a background check and drug screening. Every morning, the guests are taken to the Day Center in Lucas to shower, look for housing or employment, or go to school or work.
"We provide a mechanism for those churches to be able to do ministry," board member Gary Rodenbaugh said.
The passenger vans that transport the families can carry up to 15 people, which is one reason the council was asked to consider bumping the number of displaced individuals allowed at religious-sponsored homeless shelters up to 14. Rodenbaugh said they felt there was a huge need to try to keep the families together, especially when shelters such as The Samaritan Inn have to turn people away when they get too crowded.
Four Plano churches are a part of the Family Promise Network and have agreed to host the families, one week at a time, on a rotating basis. Rebecca Williams with West Plano Presbyterian Church said her congregation felt the program fit with their mission. As members of the network, they were required to create a designated space for the needy residents.
"We don't break it down and set it up every day," she said.
Each person has a cot with a mattress, and volunteers extend their hospitality by cooking meals or making sack lunches for the homeless visitors. Reverend Melissa Hatch of First United Methodist Church of Plano said she was also excited to bring the program to her congregation.
"It's something that's definitely needed in our community right now," she said.
Despite the positive remarks from supporters of Family Promise, the Planning and Zoning Commission only approved the zoning request by a 4-3 vote. Those who wanted to keep the number of homeless individuals allowed by right at eight said they thought religious facilities could apply for an increase with the Board of Adjustment or that more religious facilities could step up to house overflows.
Even commissioners who supported the increase wanted to limit the stay of those individuals to a maximum of 30 days in a calendar year, effectively ensuring "temporary free lodging."
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