Proposed Temporary Shelter at Luther Seminary FAQ

Who does this shelter serve?

The temporary shelter at the vacant Stub Hall dormitory on the Luther Seminary campus can serve up to 70 women and couples experiencing homelessness. This facility would not serve children.

Stub Hall operates as a referral program. Other existing shelters and outreach teams made up of community partners and law enforcement refer women and couples experiencing homelessness to the facility, which operates 24/7. Once referred, residents can stay for several days, like the county’s existing hotel shelter programs.

Does this shelter serve GLBTQ couples?

Yes. We currently have several GLBTQ couples in our shelter program.

What are the benefits of this solution over the previously provided hotel services for women and couples experiencing homeless?

In addition to being more cost-effective, Stub Hall is better suited to provide temporary shelter than the current hotel program. The dormitory-style facilities on Luther Seminary’s campus have common rooms where residents can physically distance for meals and services, unlike a hotel, as well as a more community-oriented feel compared to an isolated hotel room setting typically based in a business district. Cultivating a community-oriented environment has been shown to positively impact the mental health of people experiencing homelessness and their future success for accessing stable housing.

Another benefit of Stub Hall as a temporary shelter includes keeping couples together. In other shelter formats, oftentimes couples are required to separate in order to receive services. This is not be the case at Stub Hall.

Where will families with children be housed?

Ramsey County coordinates a family shelter system through our Homeless Services Unit. Families needing emergency shelter enter a waitlist and when a shelter spot opens up, they are referred to Interfaith Action’s Project Home Shelter or Catholic Charities’ Family Service Center. If a family on the waitlist is currently living in a place not meant for human habitation, like outdoors or in their car, Ramsey County places eligible families in a hotel until a shelter spot opens. The county is working to expand family shelter options and services.

How do people access the shelter at Luther Seminary?

Other existing shelters and outreach teams made up of community partners and law enforcement refer women and couples experiencing homelessness to the facility, which operates 24/7. Once referred, residents can stay for several days.

What types of services are offered at Luther Seminary? Who provides them and/or staffs the facility?

People staying at the shelter have some access to services, such as housing and benefits navigation, mental health services, three meals per day, and transportation. Other supportive services may be added at a later date.

Ramsey County operates and maintains the building, and Luther Seminary continues to maintain the grounds.

Were any updates needed to convert the building into an emergency shelter?

Stub Hall on the Luther Seminary campus is a vacant and perfectly suitable temporary housing option with only minor repairs and maintenance needed. There are individual dormitory-style rooms to allow for proper social distancing between individuals to account for proper COVID-19 protocols and mitigation. The building also has gathering spaces on each floor and features additional small rooms for people to use as kitchen/dining facilities.

Once referred to the shelter, residents are able to stay for multiple days in their own rooms with access to meals, bathrooms and shower facilities.

This is a temporary solution. What are Luther Seminary’s permanent plans for the site?

Luther Seminary continues to move forward on its plans to sell the lower campus following its use as a temporary shelter facility. The development team's plan for mixed-use housing, including affordable housing, is supported by civic leaders. Learn more about Luther Seminary’s plan here.

How much does the shelter cost and how is Ramsey County paying for it?

Ramsey County and Luther Seminary executed a lease agreement for $134,530. As a county, part of our role is to provide social services for people experiencing homelessness, and we have existing budget to provide these services. Right now, we have money to fund this project by leveraging county, state and federal dollars.

Will you seek additional feedback from the community?

More than 200 community members attended a virtual town hall on Nov. 17 to discuss the project and share their feedback. The county is currently planning additional community engagement opportunities as the shelter is operational. You can subscribe to the county’s weekly housing stability newsletter to keep up to date on all new site developments.

Are there COVID-19 health screenings and precautions at the shelter?

Since March 2020, we have been working with our partners at shelters across the county to put in place strategies to ensure staff and clients are safe and have resources and care in the event they get sick. Currently, health screenings are completed daily around mealtimes to check residents for symptoms of COVID-19. People who show symptoms or test positive are placed at a respite site so they can be in isolation and quarantine. If multiple positive tests originate from one location within a certain period of time, the state and local public health departments determine if mass testing is necessary. We’ve been successful in keeping infection rates low and continue to use these strategies at Stub Hall.

How can community members assist?

Many people have contacted the county expressing interest in wanting to support those experiencing homelessness. We appreciate your generosity! In addition to continuing to remain engaged with our community outreach processes on this issue, getting involved with or donating to some of our partner agencies such as People Incorporated, RADIAS Health or Involve MN are great ways to lend a hand. Listening House of Saint Paul is another strong community resource for people experiencing homelessness and currently has a COVID-19 Amazon Wish List to consider for donations.

What are you doing to ensure safety and security around the shelter? What is the police’s role in supporting safety measures for this facility?

The women's and couple's shelter at Luther Seminary is an opportunity to provide unsheltered people with support and services. We understand the importance of safety in residential neighborhoods. Ramsey County provides around-the-clock security services at the building entrance and adjacent grounds. Security services focus on de-escalation and trauma-informed responses.

Additionally, the Saint Paul Police Department regularly patrol the neighborhood and are active partners in developing solutions to any challenges that arise. Neighbors should call 911 to report emergencies and the non-emergency line (651-291-1111) to report non-emergency issues in the neighborhood.

Outreach staff are also nearby, connecting people already in the neighborhood to services. The increased presence of professional staff trained in providing trauma-informed services and de-escalation tactics help support the safety and security of the neighborhood.

How can I refer people to the temporary Luther Seminary shelter?

Stub Hall operates as a referral program. Other existing shelters and outreach teams made up of community partners and law enforcement refer women and couples experiencing homelessness to the facility, which operates 24/7. Once referred, residents can stay for several days, like the county’s existing hotel shelter programs.

How many people are sleeping outside in the City of Saint Paul?

An estimated 300 people are currently sleeping outside each night across the City of Saint Paul. Through both short-term and long-term solutions implemented with the support of various public and private partners, our end goal is to get everyone off the street and safely inside.

What has been the effect on encampments?

The goal is for fewer people to be in existing encampments during winter months. This shelter provides beds to help shelter those who are currently living outdoors.

Are undocumented people experiencing homelessness at an increased risk of being exposed, arrested or deported?

Ramsey County does not ask or screen individuals for their immigration status nor do we provide documentation to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  We do not report data or information about any of our residents to any federal law enforcement agencies unless there is a valid warrant that mandates us to do so. In fact, Ramsey County provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for all immigrants of our community including information, support, legal defense, resources and wrap around services regardless of status. Anyone who has not violated laws or committed felonies and is in need of a safe, warm place to rest is invited to stay at county shelter facilities.

How is Ramsey County addressing the needs of unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness?

Ramsey County counts on nonprofit providers including Lutheran Social Services, Salvation Army and Face to Face to deliver youth shelter services with some federal funding provided by Heading Home Ramsey. The county has started the Youth Ambassador Program, a new pilot project in collaboration with High School of the Recording Arts that trains youth as mentors to help spread their expertise on benefits and housing to their peers. Ramsey County is finalizing a series of actionable recommendations for how the county can get more involved in the youth homelessness network.

This is a short-term solution. What long-term solutions is the county investing in to help address homelessness?

Over the past several years, the county has been working closely with a network of government, nonprofit, public safety, business and other community partners on the unsheltered homelessness crisis. This includes providing long-term shelter users with stable housing, connecting unsheltered individuals with resources and offering low-barrier emergency shelter during winter months.

Much still needs to be done, and the county is actively advocating for additional funding from the state to support these efforts. More options for moving out of homelessness and into affordable housing are needed across the state. Learn more about Ramsey County’s work in improving housing stability here.