Columbia residents voice concerns after Opportunity Campus shelter opens
Haley Swaino
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A day after Columbia’s new Opportunity Campus fully opened its overnight shelter, some residents are voicing renewed worries about what the facility could bring to their part of town.
The 30,000-square-foot facility can serve more than 7,000 people a year experiencing hardship and homelessness, according to Voluntary Action Center Executive Director Ed Stansberry.
VAC staff told ABC 17 News that 123 of the 150 available beds in the campus’ Waypoint Shelter were filled Monday night.
Clifford Montgomery, owner of Montgomery Welding Repair & Steel Supply, lives near and does business across the street from the shelter. He said he’s experienced people near his property multiple times.
“You never know who’s going to show up, when they’re going to show up, and the trash they bring with them,” Montgomery said. “I built a fence along the Business Loop. So they just camp next to the fence.”
Formal mayoral candidate Tanya Heath said she’s spoke with some residents who live near the old Ashley Street shelter that experienced similar issues.
“They had personal threats to their safety. They had needles in their front yard. There was trash, unfortunately, that was left while people were coming to the Turning Point and back. And then there was also noise issues,” Heath said.
Trespassing was another issue residents say they experienced, according to Heath.
“People sometimes were found sleeping in front of cars that were on the side streets,” Heath said. “People would come out to go to work and they’d have to check all the around their car to make sure that they could back up safely.”
Montgomery and some other residents near the new shelter location say they’re experiencing similar issues. ABC 17 checked in with The Loop CID to see how its ensuring those staying at the Opportunity Campus and surrounding residents and workers are being good neighbors to each other.
“We actually meet monthly with Jessica [McNear] at the Opportunity Campus and CPD [the Columbia Police Department],” Carrie Gartner, Executive Director of The Loop CID, said.
Shelter staff are also working to ensure the safety of everyone in the area, according to Gartner.
“They have visited their neighboring businesses. They have a security team,” Gartner said.
But Tuesday morning, Montgomery and some others said they hadn’t been spoken to.
“They said they was gonna give a number for their security so I don’t have to call the police,” Montgomery said. “I have not got that.”
ABC 17 News checked with VAC and was told staff is out face-to-face sharing the private numbers with neighbors. Neighborhood security will start on July 20 and surrounding businesses and residents will have that number by then, VAC staff told ABC 17 in a text message.