New London - The homeless shelter at St. James Church is looking to relocate, but with a deadline to shut down looming and an application for a zone change pending, it is reaching out to the City Council for help.

Lawyers representing the New London Homeless and Hospitality Center forwarded a seven-page letter to the council that lays out reasons why the city should allow the homeless center to continue operating past April 30.

But several councilors took umbrage with the letter, which was addressed to the Planning & Zoning Commission and copied to the council.

”Why are we dealing with this issue?'' Deputy Mayor John J. Maynard asked at Monday's council meeting. “They asked us to refer this to planning and zoning and didn't want the council being involved. They dragged their feet at planning and zoning and now they're asking us to help move it along? I'm confused.”

Councilor Rob Pero was more direct.

”It seems like they've taken a stance that they're going to sue us,'' Pero said, referring to the letter's language.

Using its police powers, the City Council allowed the church to open an emergency homeless shelter at the church in December 2005. The shelter remained open only during the winter months, until last year when shelter officials asked, and were granted, permission to remain open through April 2009, provided they find a new location.

The non-profit group that runs the shelter in the basement of the church has an application for a zone change to allow homeless shelters in a commercial zone and is looking for a new location. Last March it tried to relocate to a three-story building on Federal Street but could not get zoning approval. It also looked at a building on Jefferson Avenue but that also fell through. A hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission has been continued to March 19.

Catherine Zall, executive director of the shelter, has also asked the city to write a letter on its behalf for a grant from the Veteran Affairs Homeless Providers to rehabilitate a four-family house to be used for transitional housing for eight veterans with ties to the New London area.

”I'm not comfortable supporting this letter for a grant,'' said Councilor Michael Buscetto III. “I don't know how they became an authority on taking care of veterans.''

The council took no action on either request.

When the city cut its social services spending in 2005, a smaller emergency shelter at Mount Moriah Fire Baptized Holiness Church on Moore Avenue also closed down. The shelter had been run for five winter seasons, supported by the New London Clergy Association and the City of New London.

The 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shelter at St. James is operated by the non-profit Homeless and Hospitality Center Inc., which receives funding from the state, New London and surrounding municipalities, grants and private donations. It also runs a homeless day center on Jay Street.

Article UID=eefc23d5-4521-45d0-898c-c6906397cfc3