Duluth’s New Homeless ‘Safe Bay’ At Vineyard Church Closed — At Least For Now

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s new Safe Bay location for homeless to sleep in their vehicles overnight has been shut down — at least temporarily — after only being operational for about a week.

City and CHUM officials told FOX 21 on Sunday that an attorney for nearby neighbors of the Safe Bay location in the church’s back parking lot has appealed the planning commission’s approval of the permit to temporarily operate the Safe Bay at the church.

So now, the city council will be forced to review the appeal and either uphold the planning commission’s decision or deny it.

The permit to operate the Safe Bay at the Church will expire at the end of October when Duluth’s Warming Center reopens for the season, according to the city.

The Safe Bay is being managed by CHUM.  It had been located for the past two years at the Damiano Center in downtown Duluth.

But that’s not possible this year while the Damiano Center acts as a temporary homeless shelter while the CHUM drop-in center goes through an expansion project.

Wo what’s next?

For CHUM, it’s a big setback for people they say are very vulnerable.

CHUM’s Safe Bay Organizer, Joel Kilgour, told FOX 21 on Sunday that people were just beginning to build trust to try out the Safe Bay at Vineyard Church. So now, it’s all hands on deck to try to get the word out to those living in their vehicles, and then finding them a safe place to park temporarily without harassment or worry.

Kilgour’s full statement reads:

“Safe Bay is a lifeline for neighbors facing housing insecurity and who have nowhere else to turn. It provides a safe place to rest, access to bathrooms and showers to get ready for the day, and support from outreach workers to find housing and services. Taking this lifeline away at short notice erodes trust and forces people back to the streets where they are vulnerable to crime and struggle to meet their basic needs.

Stepping On Up is working with our community partners to provide as many services as possible to those who relied on Safe Bay while the appeal is being heard.

Safe Bay is in full compliance with city code and its permit was approved unanimously by the Planning Commission. There have been no issues with the program since it opened. Unfortunately, the way city code is currently written, an appeal by a third party, however baseless, forces a stay until the appeal is heard. We are confident that Safe Bay will reopen soon.

Safe Bay needs community support to operate, now more than ever. More information is available at Safe Bay | Stepping On Up.”

FOX 21 requested a statement from the city on Sunday, which they provided just before 9 p.m. It reads:

“An interim use permit (IUP) for an interim outdoor living site was approved for Safe Bay at the Vineyard Church on May 13 by the Duluth Planning Commission. Safe Bay began operation shortly after and continued operation until an attorney representing neighbors filed an appeal with the Duluth City Clerk on May 21. Per Chapter 50 of the Duluth City Code, any appeal requires a stay of use until the appeal is heard by City Council. The appeal will be held at the earliest opportunity at a special meeting by City Council on Thursday, June 5.”