It was a homeless man stabbing another homeless man. I don't judge the homeless, but it's clear the NLEC isn't just a shelter for the homeless, it's an unsafe environment of all the regions homeless. And that lack of safety spills over onto the streets of downtown.
Something has to be done.
Thats aweful. Lets hope the reason for the delay in the decision is the city has decieded to shut him down and they are preparing a plan to minimize fallout from media, larry, etc
It hasnt been a very good week and a half for downtown. Drive by on washington a week ago, shooting at chouteau market, and this.
zink wrote:Anyone in this forum know someone that is involved in the upcoming ruling? Who can we contact?
I don't know if I'll hear anything back, but I reached out to the lawyer representing the downtown residents just now. I'm rather infuriated over this. It could have and should have been prevented.
We need a regional plan to combat homelessness and serve the homeless, and we need to eliminate unsafe environments like the NLEC. I'm not blaming those making the decision for this incident, but I just don't understand what is taking so long.
Heard from a Board Member from Friends of Lucas Park that the committee will not be releasing their findings/verdict until late June. Only good news I can think of is that I hope they account for this murder into their findings.
zink wrote:Heard from a Board Member from Friends of Lucas Park that the committee will not be releasing their findings/verdict until late June. Only good news I can think of is that I hope they account for this murder into their findings.
Will the findings come with a decision to, or is that yet another step away?
Does anybody Know the odds of Larry Rice being kicked out??? is it very likely to happen, or not? based on how the city deals with different but similar problems???
They shut him down. Rice appeals. Rice is allowed to keep shelter open during appeal process that can last for years.
It's a long battle. I would like to see a city ordinance limiting the number of beds at a shelter and open up a few more scattered around the city to decentralize the population.
They shut him down. Rice appeals. Rice is allowed to keep shelter open during appeal process that can last for years.
It's a long battle. I would like to see a city ordinance limiting the number of beds at a shelter and open up a few more scattered around the city to decentralize the population.
I know we're not going to get rid of Larry: just limit the extremely negative impact he has on downtown.
THE NLEC HEARINGS:
July 22 at 1:45 PM is the final New Life Evangelistic Center (NLEC) hearing at the Board of Public Service in the Kennedy Hearing Room, 2nd floor at City Hall. It is open to the public.
Neighbors of NLEC Inc (NoNLEC Inc) is the Petitioner that brought these public hearings on behalf of the neighborhood.
NoNLEC Inc’s legal counsel hopes there will be a ruling at this scheduled July 22 hearing.
The Board of Public Service will likely deliberate and vote.
We have asked NLEC lose their permit and be shut down immediately based on NLEC being a detriment to the neighborhood and having qualified as a detriment to the neighborhood by meeting the following criteria per a St. Louis City ordinance-
The conduct detrimental to the neighborhood includes, but is not limited to, (1) loitering in the immediate vicinity of the premises by persons frequenting the premises; (2) littering committed by persons frequenting the premises; (3) drinking in public by persons frequenting the premises; (4) lewd and indecent conduct, including but not limited to public urination on the premises or in the immediate vicinity thereof, exhibited by persons frequenting the premises; (5) commission of crimes upon or in the immediate vicinity of the premises by persons frequenting the premises; (6) sale or use of illegal drugs in the immediate vicinity of the premises by persons frequenting the premises; (7) harassing or intimidating behavior exhibited by persons frequenting or congregating about the premises toward persons living in the immediate neighborhood or toward persons passing by the premises; (8) noise associated with the operation of the premises or caused by persons frequenting the premises; and (9) street and sidewalk congestion associated with operation of the premises.
We've presented strong testimony and evidence outlining the aforementioned characteristics of detriment.
LT Zarrick of our St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s 4th District testified on our behalf. So did St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Problem Property Officer Daphne Allen. So did Waller Maguire, Executive Director of the St. Louis City Library. There were many more witnesses that testified including residents and business owners in the neighborhood. All the Petitioner had to do for the Board of Public Service to consider our request to shut NLEC down was prove the aforementioned (9) areas of detriment.
I also think it’s important to note the following that was discovered during the public hearings though:
*NLEC, specifically Larry Rice, has admitted NLEC has housed up to 325 persons at any one time. However, NLEC’s occupancy permit only allows NLEC 32 beds.
*Larry Rice stated that NLEC will and has house(d) sex offenders.
*And NLEC paid staff members admitted NLEC has NO paid social worker staff or medical staff on duty. Larry Rice’s and Chris Rice’s testimonies are now available … I have them and will provide them in full upon anyone’s request, including news sources.
**I’d also like to point out that Chris Rice admitted in the St. Louis Magazine article “No Shelter” that he lied under oath.
RECENT HAPPENING:
Finally, I thought it was significant to note-
The murderer that stabbed a man in the neck, killing him, did so across the street from Lafayette Preparatory Academy (an elementary school), next to the new Central Library, in the neighborhood a few weeks ago, post NLEC public hearings. The murderer is/was a registered sex offender.
Chris Rice admitted, post murder, in the prayer vigil hosted by Mike Kinman of Christ Church Cathedral, that the murderer/registered sex offender had stayed at NLEC. Several witnesses heard Chris say this (three to four witnesses).
NLEC is across the street from a high school (Confluence Academy) and across Lucas Park from an elementary school (aforementioned Lafayette Prep).
Personally, I’m really shocked the media has not picked this murderer/sex offender story up more, explicitly as it relates to Larry Rice’s testimony where he states he himself and his organization allow sex offenders to stay at NLEC, basically as one of NLEC’s policies or accepted practices, near two schools.
Remember, prior to the murder, Larry Rice admitted in the hearings he’d house sex offenders. I’m shocked this unfortunate “happening” has not prompted the City of St. Louis to act prior to July 22 given the Board of Public Service hearings are basically over, and all evidence has been presented.
Section 566.147 of the Missouri Revised Statutes provides that individuals on the sex offender’s registry may not reside within 1,000 FT of a school. “Reside” is defined to include sleeping at a location even if on a transitory basis. If there are individuals on the sex offender’s list sleeping at NLEC or on the street within 1,000 FT of either of these two schools, they should be arrested and prosecuted for violation of the law. Lafayette Prep (elementary school) and Confluence Academy (high school) are within 1,000 FT of NLEC.
CONTACTING YOUR CITY HALL:
Again, our team only needed to provide proof that NLEC is a detriment to the neighborhood per the (9) characteristics outlined earlier in this email. We did that, and I feel we did that well, thanks to many neighbors and good legal counsel.
If you want to write the Board of Public Service and your Mayor and give them your personal opinion on this pending matter:
President’s Office, Board of Public Service: Richard T. Bradley, P.E.
1200 Market ST, City Hall, Room 301
St. Louis, MO 63103
Mayor Francis Slay
1200 Market , City Hall, Room 200
St. Louis, MO 63103
The next St. Louis City Board of Public Service hearing date is set for TUES OCT 21 at 1:45 PM
in the Kennedy Hearing Room on the 2nd floor of St. Louis City Hall.
The more residents that turn out the better. I will be there.
