Richmond Planning Commission rejects 37th Street emergency shelter proposal
The Richmond Planning Commission has rejected a proposal to convert an office building into an emergency shelter, citing safety, parking, and community compatibility concerns. The unanimous decision at Thursday's meeting marked the culmination of months of heated debate over the project's impact on the surrounding neighborhood.
The proposal, submitted by architect Gregory VanMechelen, aimed to repurpose a vacant office building at 207 37th Street into a 25-bed emergency shelter.
Residents rallied against the plan, raising concerns about increased crime, the shelter's proximity to schools, and its ability to operate effectively with limited staff and resources.
The Planning Commission denied a Conditional Use Permit application based on findings that the project does not meet parking requirements, raises unresolved security and public safety issues, and could negatively affect the surrounding neighborhood.
Commission Chair Jon Harrison said the project's challenge has always been involving the applicant and the neighborhood in a dialog.
"I'm hoping that happens in the near future so that this project can be resolved one way or the other," Harrison said at the December 19 planning commission meeting.
Planning Commission Vice Chair Bruce Brubaker said the project was difficult to hear, and there were many comments and passionate opinions on both sides.
"I will say that the staff agenda report is well put together. The findings are conclusive, and I think it's a good job of presenting all the issues," Brubaker said.
Sabina Pan, who lives near the proposed project, said the shelter was unsuitable for the residential area and should be located in a commercial or industrial zone.
"Several neighbors have shown up at the meeting to voice the strongest opposition," Pan said in a letter to the commission. "In summer 2023, when this location was used as a temporary shelter for the homeless, the calls to the police have at least doubled."
At a previous meeting, Lonnie Holmes, CEO of California Portsmouth Square Association, said the shelter started due to the closing of a large encampment near the Richmond Parkway.
"They had closed it, and they needed someplace to place those individuals out of the Castro Encampment," Holmes said in June.
Soren Hemmila
According to an agenda report by Avery Stark, Acting Planning Manager, the emergency shelter would adversely affect the livability of the neighborhood.
The proposal doesn't meet city parking requirements. It only provides two spaces for three employees, but five are required to include two security personnel.
A Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design assessment by the Richmond Police Department revealed a spike in calls for service in 2023 when the shelter operated without a permit.
"This demonstrates an indisputable uptick in calls for service and potential criminal activity based on the project operation, which necessitates a need for increased security measures to address adverse safety concerns at the site and in the surrounding neighborhood," Stark wrote.
According to the report, the applicant was also unwilling to comply with the litter management requirements to ensure that the site and adjacent areas are always kept free of litter.
"There had been problems with litter and the public health and safety of the project site due to litter, illegal dumping, and potential vermin issues during the time the project was operating illegally without a permit," Stark wrote. "The proposed conditions address those public health and safety concerns, but the applicant does not appear to seek compliance with those conditions."
Harrison noted the applicant has until January 2, 2025, to appeal the decision to the Richmond City Council.
"It's actually the fastest route for getting this thing resolved," he said.
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