Homeless Day Center Seeking Approval for 24 Hour Operation

ST. CLOUD - A homeless day center in southeast St. Cloud wants to transition to an overnight facility. Homeless Helping Homeless opened the day center at 630 Lincoln Avenue Southeast last year.

The building was previously an auto parts store and then an art studio.

Given the COVID-19 pandemic and related eviction moratoriums, the homeless day center has been able to remain open after 8:00 p.m. when temperatures reached below freezing. The applicants are requesting a zoning change from the city to allow the facility to offer 24-hour service following the expiration of the emergency declaration.

Under city code, temporary shelters must be separated by a quarter of a mile. The next nearest temporary shelter facility is the Salvation Army, which is just a little more than a quarter-mile away. An on-site supervisor would be required during all hours of operation. A temporary shelter facility may extend the maximum length of stay from 45 days to 90 days for no more than 10 percent of its occupants at any given time.

The St. Cloud Zoning Board will hear the request during its meeting Tuesday night.