Larry Rice started New Life Evangelistic Center at 1411 Locust Street in 1972. NLEC has operated continuously in St. Louis city since that time, providing a safe place to sleep and other services to veterans, women, and children who find themselves homeless on the streets. On the first day of April, NLEC will shut its doors under court order, leaving nearly 200 people with no place to sleep overnight in the city. There are other shelters in the city, but they are all at capacity. Where will ambulances and county police drop off homeless people if Rice’s shelter is closed? It’s worth noting that there are unresolved code violations in the building, and Rice doesn’t deny that he regularly houses far more than his occupancy permit of 32 people per night allows. Even so, there has to be a better way to resolve the differences between city residents, leaders, and NLEC.

St. Louis city has a 10-year plan to end homelessness. This plan, issued in partnership with the County in August of 2005, suggests a myriad of ways to help the chronically homeless with services ranging from counseling, training, and treatment for addictions. Twelve years on, many facets of that plan are in action and helping people, but partnership with NLEC is needed to continue the good work being done.

Costs to help destitute persons vary widely depending upon the circumstances. Assistance such as Homelessness Prevention starts at $600, and rapid rehousing, support services, and case management cost progressively more, with an outlay of nearly $13,000 per year for permanent supportive housing. In November of 2016, Mayor Slay announced that the city won a $1 million dollar grant from Housing and Urban Development to immediately stabilize and rehouse homeless persons. This money will go a long way towards further implementing the Housing First Model through the Biddle Housing Opportunities Center owned by the city of St. Louis. What can be done to bring Larry Rice into this equation? Why aren’t the homeless persons at NLEC moving through the St. Louis City Continuum of Care? (A network of non-profit, government and other organizations working to end homelessness through agency directed services.) It seems as if St. Louis is on the right track but needs a “Show Me Moment.” A successful program out west can provide just that.

The Utah Housing Task Force set out to reduce the money spent on servicing homeless persons and eradicate homelessness by doing something completely antithetical to conventional wisdom. Utah gives homeless people homes to live in, for free. In 2005, nearly 2,000 people were chronically homeless in the state of Utah. By 2015 that number was driven down to “functional zero” according to Gordon Walker, the state director of Housing and Community Development. Let that sink in. Giving away homes to homeless people ends homelessness. This runs counter to everything proponents of small government believe; yet it worked in Utah. Walker was interviewed about their success: “If you want to end homelessness, you put people in housing. This is relatively simple.” This makes sense.

A plan like Utah’s requires consistency and a determination to implement the strategies unflinchingly, in small ways at first. We are already past the point of small beginnings; it’s time to commit. In order to accomplish major advancement, partnership with the community is essential. How many of the vacant properties currently banked in the land trust at Land Reutilization Authority could be inexpensively rehabbed for use by homeless in transition? It’s time to creatively explore that option.

In a letter to the Editor in the Post Dispatch, a concerned city resident noted that the New Life Evangelistic Center was “there first” which is accurate. In spite of negative press that seeks to paint Rice as the villain, he has helped more homeless people from his location on Locust than most loft dwelling complainers have ever thought about. Helping the homeless is essential to jump start the growth and development of St. Louis city. Evicting them from the shelter of last resort won’t solve the problems that plague the NLEC location. Perhaps offering free homes will. Let’s focus on solutions and partnerships instead of fighting those who have been in the fight to end homelessness the longest.