Lincoln Center Homeless Shelter Subject of Monday Night Work Session

(KNSI) – St. Cloud’s city council will discuss its options during a work session Monday night in dealing with the Lincoln Center no-barrier homeless shelter that’s been the subject of numerous complaints and police calls.

Lincoln Center opened in 2021 in east St. Cloud in a former auto parts store. Since it opened, people who live near the shelter and surrounding businesses have complained about drug use, sexual misconduct, trespassing and other concerns.

At last week’s meeting, Councilwoman Carol Lewis and Councilman Mike Conway asked to discuss the matter. Lewis stated she was concerned about the safety of women staying at the center and had fielded complaints from residents who no longer felt safe living in the community. Conway wanted to know if promised improvements were made and why the facility was reported over capacity. The council’s consensus was that there could be issues with how the facility is managed and operated.

City officials reported there were 53 police calls made related to the shelter between January 1st and 26th. The calls include three assaults and an overdose death. The Lincoln Center was fined in December and January for exceeding the capacity limits. The extra residents weren’t forced to leave because of the winter weather. The place was also given a fine for excessive use of 911 in December and failing to comply with codes in June.

The shelter has added fire alarms, a furnace, showers, a sewer pump and part of a sprinkler system. The operators have until May 1st to install a front entrance and finish the sprinkler system and individual rooms called PODS. Doing so would allow the facility to go from 10 overnight residents to 25, with staffing increases. City staff says they’ve been told the place will have all its other improvements finished by the end of March.

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