Papers Raise Doubts about Homeless Shelter : Housing: Organization that got U.S. permission to run facility for more than 800 people is currently serving 20. Critics say it doesn’t have enough experience.

Federal officials gave a South-Central organization permission to open a homeless shelter for 880 people in San Pedro even though application documents released Thursday show it was only serving 20 people.

A copy of the application was released by Rep. Jane Harman (D-Marina del Rey), who said she had obtained the document from the federal Health and Human Services Department.

Only a portion of the 300-page document was released. Resumes and other supporting pages were taken out under the Freedom of Information Act by Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the House Government Operations Committee, said Eric Altshule, a spokesman for Harman.

Turner’s Technical Institute was given permission by the department to use surplus Navy property in the harbor community, even though the group did not claim to have experience running a large shelter.

According to the application, Turner’s was incorporated in 1984 to teach business courses such as word processing and bookkeeping. Its Open Door program was serving “approximately 20 individuals” in existing homeless facilities, the application says.

Homeless people are one of nine groups Turner’s serves, and housing is one of seven services it offers, according to the document.

Officials from Health and Human Services could not be reached for comment on their decision to approve the application. Requests to speak to Secretary Donna Shalala were turned down. Judy Breitman, staff member of the department’s Health Facilities Planning Division who examined Turner’s application, did not return telephone calls Thursday. Priscilla E. Turner, director of the institute, also did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Fearing that Turner’s lacks the qualifications and experience to run a large shelter, community groups and local politicians have been trying to persuade federal officials to withdraw the permit from Turner’s.

It was hoped the document would give some clue to how Turner’s plans to run the homeless center in 140 units on a 27-acre Taper Avenue site that the Navy is vacating this summer.

Turner’s former executive director, Johnathon C. Marzet, who resigned facing allegations of forgery last week, could not answer specific questions about the operation or financing of the shelter when he addressed about 1,000 hostile residents at gatherings last month.

Marzet told the residents that the center would house a maximum of 600 people, although the application states it would serve 880.

The application shows Turner’s plans to run 19 services from the center, including providing food and clothing, child care and education, with six professionals and 13 support staff. The current staff is made up of three professionals and seven support staff, according to the application.

Turner’s estimates the shelter’s start-up costs will be $331,775.

Marzet defended the homeless plan Thursday, saying he was being attacked politically to get Turner’s Institute to relinquish the Taper Avenue site.

In a letter released Monday, Marzet resigned as treasurer, assistant director and board member of the institute. Dr. James A. Mays, a cardiologist who was asked to support the project, accused Marzet of forging his name on an endorsement letter in the application. Marzet says that although his staff did sign the letter, he had Mays’ permission to sign and send it.

Mays said he did not give permission to Marzet to sign the letter. However, Mays said he personally signed a copy of the same letter several days later.

“He never indicated it was going to HHS,” Mays said. “It was a general letter of recommendation.”

Health and Human Services officials are looking into the allegations of forgery and the qualifications of Turner’s Institute, Rayford Kytle, a spokesman for the department, said Tuesday.