A topic which has taken over local news and conversations is the growing issue of homelessness in our city. And while we are trying to determine the best solution to this issue, my question is whether or not anyone has approached people or organizations who have found themselves faced with downsizing and closures in recent years to see if existing space could be converted to assist our homeless population. A great example of this is Lutheran of Jamestown. They’ve faced recent closures and as far as I’m aware, have not repurposed the space. Why not have a conversation about using the empty space to aid in this crisis?

President and CEO Tom Holt commented on the closure of the nursing facility back in January of this year, stating that, “We’ve been on this campus since 1886,” he said. “When you look at the pivots and turns that have taken place over the course of those 130-plus years here, we’ve been a reflection of what the community needs have been over time. We started as an orphanage and then, in the ’30s, got into elder care because that was what the community need was.”

Well now, the community need is helping our homeless population. As far as I’m aware, these facilities are not currently being used and could be converted to help meet this dire need.

This facility is equipped with beds, which provide a safe place to sleep. There is a full kitchen where meal prep was once done for nursing home residents and could now be used to ensure our homeless get healthy meals. It also has a nursing station to provide access to the health services they need.

Across the parking lot sits the GA learning center, which closed in 2020. This building could be used for counseling services or to teach the necessary life skills that will help our homeless population become more independent, so they can transition back into the job market and eventually live on their own.

I won’t pretend to know the intricacies of what it would take to get something like this off the ground– I’m sure these things take time and of course, there is always red tape involved. The question is, has anyone started the necessary conversations about using this or other presumably empty facilities? Am I naive for thinking these buildings could be converted to assist our homeless? When these facilities exist and aren’t being used, the answer seems simple. I’m just not sure if the right conversations have been started.

Kristan Garvey is a Gerry resident.