Proposed Temporary Housing For Homeless At Eagleville Hospital Sparks Dispute

LOWER PROVIDENCE, PA — Tensions are rising as officials and the community weigh a project that would help the homeless in Montgomery County get back on their feet.

The nonprofit Resources for Human Development would create a facility called Genny's Place on the grounds of Eagleville Hospital. The group was adamant that the facility is not a traditional homeless shelter, rather it would provide short term housing along with various other support to help individuals move forward.

"RHD made a clear distinction between a walk-in shelter and the proposed short-term supportive housing facility," township officials said in discussing the presentation.

Genny's Place would be capable of hosting up to 60 individuals at a time, providing meals and shared laundry, bath, and living space. The goal would be to find permanent housing within 60 to 90 days of an individual's arrival at the facility.

An organization of opposing residents have gained more than 400 signatures on a Change.org petition aimed at stopping the project. There's also a Facebook group called "SAY NO to the Lower Providence HOMELESS MIGRATION COMPLEX" that has more than 600 members.

"Facts over feelings," said local resident Bob Doran, who launched the petition.

"It (is in) too close proximity for the safety of our children," he said. "The residents of the shelter are free to walk about, most will make their way to the Turkey Hill, which is adjacent to Eagleville Park with its adjacent Eagleville School."

The group also argued that the facility would impact housing values in the area, cause an increase in taxes, and pointed to concerns with RHD's past management of similar facilities. RHD previously ran a shelter, CHOC, much like Genny's Place out of Norristown State Hospital.

Supporters, meanwhile, argue that additional services for the homeless in Montgomery County are desperately needed, and accused detractors of a NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitude that would pass issues off to others. They added that the characterization of the short term transitional housing project as a "migration complex" baselessly stokes xenophobic fears.

Mike Hays, director of the nonprofit Montco 30 Percent Project that advocates for affordable housing and solutions to homelessness, said that opponents were mischaracterizing RHD's past management.

"Chief among their smears is that CHOC was kicked out of Norristown...contrary to the opponents’ lie, CHOC closed because the municipality of Norristown wanted to redevelop the land," Hays said. "RHD’s contract was not renewed for that reason."

Tempers flared during the public comment section of the most recent board meeting, and the debate is spilling over into the community, with the opposition group planning a protest march and one of them paying for a billboard that is already up at the intersection of North Wales Road and Germantown Pike.

The project calls for a new building to be constructed on Eagleville Hospital's grounds, but in the meantime, RHD would run the same program from an existing abandoned building at the hospital. RHD says the hospital grounds prove especially attractive to their program as it's adjacent to many existing county offices and service.s

At least two to three RHD staff would be on site at all times, and Eagleville Hospital security would help provide security for the new facility as well.

It's not yet clear to what degree the board of supervisors supports the proposal.

"The process is just starting with no decision to be made until after several more additional public hearings," Supervisor Peter MacFarland said.

Residents can continue to provide feedback to the township on the project by emailing admin@lowerprovidence.org

Township officials will make a decision on the zoning amendment that would allow for the project to move forward at the meeting on Thursday, May 2.