Controversy Surrounding Downtown Racine’s Hospitality Center Sparks Debate

Racine, Wis (WRJN-AM) – Ensuring downtown Racine’s safety is a priority, but Mayor Cory Mason has indicated that any changes to the Hospitality Center will have to be postponed. Alderman and council president Terry McCarthy, along with 9 other alders, penned a letter to the mayor this week, highlighting the impact of the downtown Hospitality Center on the community and stressing the need for its relocation. Mayor Cory Mason expressed that it’s winter and not the appropriate time to eliminate services for the homeless in relation to the relocation.

The letter from the alders also addressed the downtown impacts, including public alcohol consumption, business closures, and safety concerns for Gateway students and library patrons. Alder McCarthy, personally harassed near the library, advocates for a change. Mayor Cory Mason, appearing on The Don Rosen Show, discussed the uniqueness of Racine’s response to the homeless population, emphasizing that the city’s approach attracts people from outside the community. Mason highlighted Racine’s rarity in providing one of the few low barrier shelters, allowing individuals in need to access shelter without sobriety requirements. Mason also acknowledged the challenges posed by individuals with severe mental health and addiction issues in downtown Racine.

The proposed solution in the alders’ letter includes revoking the permit for the hospitality center to operate at 614 Main Street, a measure not supported by Mayor Mason at this point. He emphasized the need for discussions with local nonprofits and clarified that an immediate change is not feasible.

Listen to the full interview and read the letter below.

Mr. Mayor,

I write to you to express my deep concern regarding the downtown Hospitality Center at 614 Main Street, its injurious effects upon the downtown community and the relocation of its operations.

Since the granting of a Conditional Use Permit allowing its operation in 2012 and the subsequent amendments, the negative unintended consequences of this facility upon businesses, institutions and the general public’s willingness to engage in downtown commerce have been increasingly exacerbated.

Since its inception, the Hospitality Center’s mission has been noble – to serve Racine residents that need help with hunger. I was a believer in this endeavor, voting for the original Conditional Use Permit. This mission has unfortunately attracted those from well beyond the community desirous of that same help and even broader services. The externalities of serving this wider audience have fallen on those no longer able to shoulder the burden.

Examples of these externalities include business owners expressing their anxieties and even shutting down, uneasiness voiced by Gateway and the Racine Literacy Council over student/instructor safety and attendance, Library patrons being harassed outside the building (a personal experience for me) by individuals who help to comprise an assemblage of mid-afternoon drinkers at the Memorial Hall and Monument Squares and increased Police presence to deal with these issues.

Downtown Racine’s civic Conditions have changed for the worse as a result of this Conditional Use Permit. At a time when our downtown is on the cusp of a rejuvenation as evidenced by Hotel Verdant and Breakwater 233 market-rate apartment development, this untenable situation must be addressed. I and my undersigned co-sponsors below request action. In particular, we call for the cessation of Hospitality Center activity at its current location, its move to a site less detrimental to the downtown community and a return to the scope of its original mission. We will initiate and support appropriate Resolutions and Ordinances in order to make this happen.

We look forward to your response and to working with you to accomplish this necessary change for the residents of Racine who expect a downtown where they can live, work and play without apprehension.

Sincerely,

Ald. Terry McCarthy (Council President)

Ald. Jeff Coe
Ald. Amanda Paffrath
Ald. Melissa Kaprelian
Ald. Jeff Peterson
Ald. Mary Land
Ald. Sam Peete
Ald. Henry Perez
Ald. Renee Kelly
Ald. Cory Sebastian