The continuing discussion about the homeless situation in Shawano could yield a temporary solution as Newcap has offered its land for people to camp out without fear of citation, harassment or potential harm.
In 2022, Newcap purchased the building that was previously used by Shawano County for Lakeland Industries and turned it into a place to house families that suddenly find themselves homeless. There are currently five rooms in the building for families with children to live in until they can find better accommodations, but the building has not been used for individual homeless people.
The homeless have been a subject of continuous discussion at Shawano Common Council meetings since May, just after Shawano Area Matthew 25 — which operates an emergency homeless shelter on Richmond Street from Nov. 1 through April 30 — closed for the season.
Cheryl Detrick, Newcap executive director, told the council Aug. 13 that she has been in discussions with City Administrator Eddie Sheppard, along with other community groups helping those in need about what to do.
“We recognized that our family homeless numbers were skyrocketing and more people were sleeping in their cars,” Detrick said. “We just felt that was untenable, if there was something we could do. We don’t have the answer to it, and we certainly don’t have enough space (in the building) for everyone, but we’re doing what we can.”
Detrick’s proposal is to host a shower trailer on its site on Lakeland Road two days a week for homeless people to get clean. She is also interested in having the five acres nearby, which is mostly wetlands, available for people to sleep — noting that the land is not in a residential area, so it shouldn’t cause worry.
There are currently a dozen known homeless people in the Shawano area, according to Detrick, and she feels they need a place for safe camping. Sleeping in the city parks is illegal, and trying to sleep on private property is usually met with harassment and hostility.
“Earlier this year, one of my board members from Newcap, Peter Thillman … and Eddie came to me and asked if Newcap was willing to host at our site, not in our building, the individuals and one family who were going to be leaving SAM25 and just end up in various places around the community,” Detrick said.
The potential solution will need some contributions from the community to cover emptying the shower trailer, according to Detrick. However, Newcap is willing to have its coaches and other staff work with the homeless encampment to help them find housing and other needs.
Detrick added that the site would not have 24-hour security, because that would cost Newcap at least $35 an hour to implement, so she suggested having the Shawano Police Department do extra patrols when possible.
Detrick told the council that many of the homeless people have jobs, but with the housing market going through the roof — both for purchase and for rent — they can’t afford to live in Shawano.
“I don’t have to tell any of you what the housing market looks like,” she said. “Many of the folks we heard about from SAM25 saved money all winter so they could buy a van where they could have a safe place to sleep in the summertime, because they were unable to find housing, whether it was because of the expensive nature of rental housing or because they have an eviction on their record or for some other reason. Our clients work; they just don’t make enough to afford housing.”
Detrick noted that whatever solution is developed needs to have the support of the city.
“We certainly don’t want to do something that the city isn’t in favor of,” she said.
Mayor Bruce Milavitz agreed with Detrick, saying that the solution should just be applied to homeless people who are already in Shawano.
“This is for people who are already in our city, not other communities, that we’re trying to give options to,” Milavitz said. “Unfortunately, this is not for all. This is only for existing known people within our community. They’ve already been identified.”
The city has one less homeless person in the community, though. Matthew Klein, who has been homeless for 10 months and has attended council meetings regularly to discuss the matter, announced at the Aug. 13 meeting that he’s been able to find a place to live on Picnic Street.
“I’ve been there for a week after 10 months of being homeless,” Klein said.
He noted that his homelessness started after being released from prison, where he found God; he was determined to make amends, but because of his criminal record, he couldn’t find a place to live.
“Upon stepping into freedom, reality hits harder than any locked door ever could,” Klein said. “With no money, no home and no family to lean on, you face a world unprepared to forgive or forget. Picture waking up on a cold, unforgiving sidewalk. The hard concrete presses into your bones, and the chill of dawn seeps through thin, tattered clothing, numbing your skin. Your stomach growls like an angry beast, a hollow ache that gnaws at your insides with relentless intensity. Days stretch into nights without a crumb to dull the hunger.”
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
