The YWCA Bradford is one step closer to building an ADA-compliant shelter after a zoning hearing board meeting held Monday evening in Bradford City.
The board met to consider a request for an exception to allow use of property as a zoning transitional dwelling as an extension of the YWCA’s homeless shelter. The property in question is located at 18 W. Corydon St., near the YWCA’s 24 W. Corydon St. location.
John Peterson, the city’s zoning and health officer, explained that the problem is the proposed shelter conflicts with a city code that a such a shelter not be within 500 feet of another shelter.
The YWCA already operates two shelters on its campus — a homeless shelter and a shelter for victims of domestic violence. The organization is proposing opening a third, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-compliant shelter.
The first two shelters were grandfathered in, as the code did not become law until after they were built, according to Peterson.
Aside from the distance between the shelters, all other parts of the code are met, Peterson noted.
While the meeting was brief, lasting less than 15 minutes, board members had some questions for YWCA Executive Director Vanessa Castano about the project before they made their final decision.
Castano said the organization lost some funding in 2014 because it’s homeless shelter was not ADA-accessible. While she agreed it she could not say for sure that the state would reinstate the funding if the project moves forward, she is hopeful. “We open the door for funding that we lost in 2014 because we are not ADA-accessible.”
If the zoning exception was not granted, Castano said the option of making the existing shelter ADA-compliant would be more costly — as much as $190,000 more.
Due to the structure of the building — with the appearance of a two-level building but for the purpose is considered a seven-level building — installing an elevator would be difficult. They looked into building an outdoor elevator, which would be costly.
“I’ve been able to secure a local contractor willing to donate labor,” she noted. She is applying for $75,000 in PHARE/RTT funding, and the YWCA has received grant money from the United Way and Home Depot for supplies.
The board voted in favor of the zoning exception.
Castano was not sure when construction would begin, but she indicated that the YWCA was ready on their end. The maximum number of people who would be able to stay in the new shelter will be six, she said.
The plight of local homeless has come into the spotlight in the past couple of years, surprising many residents who think of homelessness as an urban issue.
The YWCA has been working with other groups such as local churches and social service organizations to ease the burden of those experiencing housing issues.
