Church Weighs an Emergency Shelter Project

A plan to turn part of a Seventh-day Adventist church into an emergency shelter for Orange County’s homeless could spark similar efforts by other religious groups, said church and social agency officials.

The board of directors of the church, 900 S. Sunkist St., will consider a proposal by Christian Temporary Housing Facilities at their Sept. 16 meeting. It’s hoped that up to 20 families could be housed for overnight stays in what would be the first instance of a county church giving up part of its grounds for an emergency shelter, said Michael Elias, executive director of the housing group.

“It’s been a dream of ours for some time, to use churches as shelters,” he said. “If the board agrees with it, we could probably start leasing it at the end of the month.” The organization would use a $20,000 federal grant to lease the facility and pay for bedding and other items while continuing to search for other grants and private donations.

Received 23,000 Requests

Elias said his group received 23,000 requests from homeless people last year and could accept only about 3,700 of them at the Christian housing group’s Orange shelter. The facility, designed for about 16 people, usually accommodates 40 to 50 a night, he said.

Church pastor Greg Nelson said the board approved the concept at a July meeting, adding that some questions, such as cost to the church and security measures, will need to be answered in a final report due at the Sept. 16 meeting. “There’s no question that there’s a real need,” he said. “As a church, we’re anxious to get actively involved.”

The Community Development Council, the county’s anti-poverty agency, will assist Elias in putting together the final report, said Planning Director Don Sizemore. He said the agency would also assist in the search for additional funds and might act as fiduciary agents for the housing group.