HARMFUL POLICIES
Because of the following harmful policies, safety cannot be assured — for anyone — inside or outside of the shelter.
Please note that there are people in our community who are forced to sleep outside because they are afraid of going into the shelter.
Likely due to state funding requirements, the shelter must take anyone who comes to the door. In 2024, according to St. Joseph’s information, out of a total 274 Neighbors In Need, 51 came from other towns on the Cape, 28 came from other towns in Massachusetts, 9 came from other states, and 3 came from another country — all of which strains the resources in Hyannis and Barnstable.
Only 3, in the report, are from Barnstable. 180 are questionably from Hyannis. This is questioned because the shelter does not verify information about residency.
In addition, people coming to the door are not vetted. No research is done about who is coming into our community — they may have warrants, be sex offenders, or have other criminal backgrounds. We do not know.
Everyone in the shelter is forced to vacate and end up in the community at 7 am. Some may return for the “Day Program,” usually only about a fifth — approximately 10 people — but again they are forced to leave at 2 pm. All are expected to return by 3:30.
So people whose background we do not know, from all over the world, are forced to roam our streets every day. Please know these Neighbors In Need do not have easy access to bathrooms.
In addition, if someone is disruptive, they may be banned. If banned, they are told they must leave and cannot come back for 30 days. How likely is it that these Neighbors In Need will look around the community for a place to sleep outside, creating a makeshift camp?
COST OF INSTITUTIONALIZED SHELTERING
Where did the family businesses go — the bowling alley, the carousel? Did families stop coming to Main Street? This pattern of neighborhood decline could destroy beloved local businesses like Steve and Sue’s Par Tee Freeze.
- A local business had to hire security
- Property values have declined
- Increased rescue calls
- Increased hospital costs
- Increased police calls and police staffing demands
- Additional costs of day programs
INSTITUTIONAL CONSEQUENCES
As a result of the institutional approach, secondary systems need to be set up at additional costs — such as day programs, which we now have in place in Hyannis, all of which are in close proximity to 77 Winter St., and much more challenging to reach from 460 West Main.
This means our Neighbors In Need must travel to the day program, often on foot — another barrier to their care.
HARMS CAUSED BY THE INSTITUTIONAL SHELTER ON WINTER ST.
Other shelters stress the importance of safety. We do not see that in the Catholic Charities model.