"fight over zoning could mean the end of an outreach effort to help the homeless in five local counties"

You've GOT to be kidding.  Surely something can be done here to allow the use of this building, a waiver for the zoning issue, something.  Too many people will be dramatically impacted by the loss of this service to not work until a resolution is found.  Furthermore, Carl Bailey should most certainly not have to sell the building "at a loss" in order to move on from this. 

At a time when homelessness is rampant and our economy is in the toilet, the last thing we all need is to shut down outreach or quibble over some ridiculous zoning issue; people are cold, they are hungry and winter is coming.  I implore city officials to work with Mr. Bailey to resolve this in a manner that will assist the most vulnerable of the community as quickly as possible.


WSMV.com
Zoning Fight May End Homeless Outreach
Shelter Owner Led To Believe Zoning OK, He Says
Reported by Josh DeVine

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

POSTED: 5:07 pm CDT October 8, 2010
UPDATED: 8:04 pm CDT October 8, 2010
SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. --

A fight over zoning could mean the end of an outreach effort to help the homeless in five local counties. It's a battle over who said what before a nonprofit bought a building it now can't use.

Cross Shelter in Shelbyville runs on donations and the support of dozens of churches in Middle Tennessee.

The shelter is home for those with nowhere else to go and a calling for owner Carl Bailey. Based in a home on Hickory Drive, the shelter serves the homeless in five Middle Tennessee counties with food, clothes, a place to sleep and a few of the comforts of home. The owner recently decided to sell the house out of which the shelter operated, and the ministry must move on.

The nonprofit settled on a spot on South Cannon Boulevard after Bailey said the city planning director led him to believe zoning rules would allow the shelter to operate there.

But Shelbyville's zoning rules don't mention homeless shelters. The planning director said he warned Bailey and the nonprofit. Now the nonprofit owns an empty building it can't use.

There was talk the nonprofit might sue the city, but the director said Friday it will move on and try to sell the new home, even though it'll probably lose money in the end.

The city's planning director said he'll work to update the zoning to clarify the rules for homeless shelters.