Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Shelter manager refuses shutdown Date: Sat, 21 Nov 92 17:35:41 EST Message-ID: \SE A;METROPOLITAN \HD Shelter manager refuses shutdown \BY Claudia Rosenbaum \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES The president of Seed Ministries, which has managed the Distict's Foggy Bottom shelter since it was set up in October 1989, quit yesterday, saying he was unwilling to shut the facility. "What the District wanted us to do, take apart this shelter piece by piece, was totally contrary to our mission as a ministry," said John Shetterly. "They wanted Seed to be the bad guy and turn people away." The shelter, located in trailers behind the Howard Johnson Hotel in the 2600 block of Virginia Avenue NW, is slated to close in stages. One trailer was to be removed this week and the remaining trailers are to be closed by Dec. 1, officials said. Advocates for the homeless yesterday said they would do anything short of violence to stay in the trailer, which was vandalized overnight. The air was let out of the tires and the electrical system was disabled. Cliff Newman of the Community for Creative Non-Violence said his group was not responsible but said it is delighted the trailer was immobilized. "It's not moving," he said. Larry Brown, spokesman for the Department of Human Services, said the 18-bed trailer will be moved in the next several days despite the vandalism. "We have equipment, and it can be easily be moved," said Mr. Brown. "We are not trying to terminate services, just move them to another location." A statement from Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly's office said District-sponsored shelters have had an average of 100 unused beds per night over the last six months. The Foggy Bottom shelter was always intended to be temporary, the mayor's office said. But homeless advocates say there are not enough beds in the city to handle the growing homeless population. Brian Beverly, who manages the Seed Ministry's Martin Luther King Shelter in Southeast, said he began turning people away after his shelter filled up at 10:40 p.m. Thursday. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM