Ever since it was announced as a possibility, many questions have come up regarding the transitional housing project in the former McKinnley Building in Manitowoc.
The project is a collaborative effort between Hope Hose, The Haven Men’s Homeless Shelter, and The Warming Shelter of Manitowoc, known as The Neighborhood.
Representatives from all three organizations were on WOMT’s Be My Guest program Monday, where they addressed one of the biggest questions, “Who would be living there?”
Jan Graunke, the Executive Director of Hope House, explained that it wouldn’t be just anyone but rather those who are actively working on rebuilding their lives through already established programs.
“The Neighborhood then would be the next stepping stone for them as long as they were successful and did everything that they were to do in the 90 day program,” she explained.
Even then, their rehabilitation wouldn’t end, but rather, it would be continued.
Graunke noted that, “They again would be case managed help with their budget checked on periodically with the case manager to make sure that they are following the rules, that they’re doing what they’re supposed to do.”
Pastor Matt Sauer, who organized the Warming Shelter and has been an outspoken advocate for the unhoused, put it bluntly, saying “It’s not a flophouse where just anybody shows up.”
In fact, he believes it will be safer than most neighborhoods because “you don’t know what your next-door neighbor is, what their background is, but we’ll be able to tell you something about the backgrounds of the folks living there.”
The Neighborhood has already purchased the building, and last week received their conditional use permit through unanimous vote from the Manitowoc Common Council.
The next step, which is currently underway, is to get some architectural renderings completed, and to get the wheels in motion for the redesign of the interior of the building.
The group is also in need of money to help get the project completed.
They are looking to raise around $8 million to get the 30 transitional apartments ready for tenants.
