Written in Granite: Old house possibly not the best homeless solution

Maybe we should listen to Larry.

He has compassion for the plight of the homeless in Nashua, but he also knows a potentially bad deal when he sees one from a cost perspective. “These are crazy numbers,” Larry says.

Larry Hirsch is a well-respected, local, longtime businessman in the commercial real estate brokerage industry throughout New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts. He is also a member of Nashua’s Planning Board, which recently voted 3-2 against recommending the purchase of the house at 14 Mulberry St.

Matt Sullivan, the Community Development division director, made a compelling and thoughtful case to the Planning Board in favor of the city buying the old multi-family residential building for $730,000 to serve as a new resource center, warming station and transitional housing units.

But it needs tremendous renovation and could cost the city between $3 million and $4.5 million. So, is it worth it?

Sullivan knows how dire the homeless situation has become in the Gate City, and for the past two years, he and other city officials have been looking at several properties and have come close to finding an adequate space, but it’s been tough.

Sullivan believes the Mulberry Street property has strategic value for this use. And the multi-unit apartment house, although very tight in this busy downtown area, is conveniently located across from the city’s Division of Public Health & Community Services building.

The city’s warming station, housed in the cafeteria of the former, now-closed Elm Street Middle School, shut its doors on April 15 for the end of the season. And therein lies the problem. According to Bobbie Bagley, director of the Division of Public Health and Community Services, more than 200 individuals had visited the warming station since its December opening. The daily average amounted to between 45 and 52 visitors.

Where will the city’s most vulnerable go now as warmer weather arrives? Will Nashua see more encampments and homeless individuals congregating in the Main Street area?

Downtown business owners have been upset about the growing homeless problem, and it’s hard to look away.

The Board of Aldermen has been sincere and compassionate in trying to solve this extremely challenging matter, and it appears they want a permanent solution. However, trying to bring a very old structure (built in 1868) up to modern code and adding an elevator to the building might not be the best approach.

I, like some other residents, wonder how a nearly 3,000-square-foot building could serve as a resource center, warming station and offer transitional housing units with enough room for all.

While some city officials say it could work, the property also lacks parking and has a tiny yard.

There are no easy answers. Taking an interim step instead, and adding portable classrooms to a downtown parking lot, sounds like a decent idea, but even establishing that type of temporary housing adds up rather quickly to around $1.5 million.

City officials have some tough choices to make, but this acquisition seems to be moving forward. Members of the aldermanic Planning and Economic Development Committee voted to recommend authorizing the purchase of the 14 Mulberry St. property. Also, the Budget Review Committee voted in favor of issuing bonds not to exceed $900,000 for the purchase, design, pre-renovation work and renovations for a resource center at 14 Mulberry St.

Ward 3 Alderwoman Patricia Klee looks at it this way: “It’s a start. If we keep waiting for perfection, we’re never going to get anything done.”