By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
WYANDOTTE – Wayne County Commissioner Joseph Palamara said he removed a $1 million grant request for a permanent homeless shelter based on constituent feedback opposed to its presence in a residential neighborhood.
Officials at St. Vincent Pallotti Parish, 334 Elm St., obtained a six-month certificate of occupancy from the city to turn its former school building into a temporary shelter, in cooperation with Wayne Metro Services and ChristNET, to house homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To upgrade the building into a permanent shelter, extensive changes, including a fire suppression sprinkler system, would have to be added to the building.
Palamara said that, based on caller feedback, he withdrew the $1 million grant request before it was reviewed by the Wayne County Commission.
“After hearing from a number of Wyandotte city officials and residents on the homeless shelter matter, and communicating those concerns to the Wayne County Executive’s office, the County Executive’s Office, through Assistant CEO Khalil Rahal, withdrew the grant request,” Palamara said. “As I understand it, Mayor Pro Tem DeSana, along with many residents, did communicate appreciation for having the grant request withdrawn.”
Palamara said he was opposed to a permanent homeless shelter in the residential neighborhood.
“There is not one Wyandotte resident, who contacted me on this matter, in favor of that site being used as a permanent homeless shelter,” he said. “I believe this is the primary reason why the Wayne County Executive’s office withdrew the matter before the commission even voted on it.”