Edition Date: April 25, 2008
The Idaho Statesman
Residents get updates on
transition homes
BY BETHANN STEWART -
bstewart@idahostatesman.com
Edition Date: 04/25/08
A Boise official says the homes don't
have to notify the city when they open.
More than 100 residents of the Vista
and Depot Bench neighborhoods
attended an
informational meeting on transition
homes at the Whitney Baptist Church
Thursday.
Jerry Todd, spokesman for planning
and development services for Boise,
laid out the court rulings that the city
must comply with. "Cities must treat
these homes like any other
single-family dwelling," he said.
"Whether you agree with the rulings
or not, these are the parameters
under which we have to operate."
Boise has about 50 transition homes,
but it is hard to know for sure, he said
earlier, because single-family
homeowners don't have to notify the
city when they arrive. Idaho
Department of Correction
Communications Chief Kevin Kempf
asked residents not to let emotions
override reason.
"One of the things we have to do is
wrap services around (ex-felons) so
the
community is safe," he said. "When
they walk out of our prisons, they are
free
and clear."
Bethany Gadzinski of the department
of Health and Welfare explained how
the
state certifies "safe and sober" homes
where it has clients."Health and
Welfare doesn't certify homes it
doesn't pay for," she said.
Melanie Curtis of SHIP Homes, Rob
Lee of Bethel Ministries, and Dennis
Mansfield
of New Hope Community Health each
talked about their specific programs.
SHIP and New Hope house people
recovering from alcohol or drug
addictions. Bethel
Ministries provides housing to sex
offenders.
Boise City Councilwoman Maryanne
Jordan said city attorneys were still
reviewing the laws signed by Gov.
Otter this spring and what changes
they might bring.
Residents asked questions
throughout the evening and after the
presentation.
Kaye Christensen has lived near
Maple Grove for 16 years. She was
surprised at how many different types
of homes are out there but was
disappointed that as a homeowner,
she was unable to find out that a
transition home had opened in her
neighborhood until after it happened.
Laura Fuentes was angrier. "If
citizens have to accept the fact that
we can't do anything about this, then
we need to have a Web site or
someplace to go where we can find
out what's going
on," she said.
Bethann Stewart: 377-6393
The Idaho Statesman
Residents get updates on
transition homes
BY BETHANN STEWART -
bstewart@idahostatesman.com
Edition Date: 04/25/08
A Boise official says the homes don't
have to notify the city when they open.
More than 100 residents of the Vista
and Depot Bench neighborhoods
attended an
informational meeting on transition
homes at the Whitney Baptist Church
Thursday.
Jerry Todd, spokesman for planning
and development services for Boise,
laid out the court rulings that the city
must comply with. "Cities must treat
these homes like any other
single-family dwelling," he said.
"Whether you agree with the rulings
or not, these are the parameters
under which we have to operate."
Boise has about 50 transition homes,
but it is hard to know for sure, he said
earlier, because single-family
homeowners don't have to notify the
city when they arrive. Idaho
Department of Correction
Communications Chief Kevin Kempf
asked residents not to let emotions
override reason.
"One of the things we have to do is
wrap services around (ex-felons) so
the
community is safe," he said. "When
they walk out of our prisons, they are
free
and clear."
Bethany Gadzinski of the department
of Health and Welfare explained how
the
state certifies "safe and sober" homes
where it has clients."Health and
Welfare doesn't certify homes it
doesn't pay for," she said.
Melanie Curtis of SHIP Homes, Rob
Lee of Bethel Ministries, and Dennis
Mansfield
of New Hope Community Health each
talked about their specific programs.
SHIP and New Hope house people
recovering from alcohol or drug
addictions. Bethel
Ministries provides housing to sex
offenders.
Boise City Councilwoman Maryanne
Jordan said city attorneys were still
reviewing the laws signed by Gov.
Otter this spring and what changes
they might bring.
Residents asked questions
throughout the evening and after the
presentation.
Kaye Christensen has lived near
Maple Grove for 16 years. She was
surprised at how many different types
of homes are out there but was
disappointed that as a homeowner,
she was unable to find out that a
transition home had opened in her
neighborhood until after it happened.
Laura Fuentes was angrier. "If
citizens have to accept the fact that
we can't do anything about this, then
we need to have a Web site or
someplace to go where we can find
out what's going
on," she said.
Bethann Stewart: 377-6393
In The News: Featured Stories
Every now and then Bethel Ministries is noted in the Boise Idaho area news.
From this page we have begun collecting news articles to share with you pertaining to our faith based
Christian ministry effort to serve those who need us as well as raise awareness about Bethel Ministries
service and educate others in these timely, life saving Christian works going on in our community.
One only needs to get an inside our ministry to understand and feel the triumphs and trials of taking on such
a necessary Christian work. Keeping up with the news can help. There is plenty of 'bad news' coming from the
media to be had, but the truth is that the overall success rate of Bethel's program has been 90% and such
fruits are truly motivating. We too have plenty of good news to share and are not deterred by 1) occasional
individual failures because human beings can fail before they succeed, but rather come to learn from such
failures and how we can better help others in similar circumstances. Likewise, 2) we are not deterred by
negative media reports which may come and go because our cause is greater than any occasional
sensationalized report put out by the competitive media.
Bethel Ministries as well as other similar transitional program ministries face many struggles in the public eye
as they take on some of the most difficult Christian tasks which many fear through sometimes a lack of
understanding or are simply unequipped to do themselves. Thank God, some are equipped and willing to
carry out these tasks!
Until our communities are educated as to the overall value of such transitional home's successes, focus on
the fruits and lawfully support them, then more and more ex-offenders will return to society unchanged
because currently our governments cannot provide the intensive and specialized programs and monitored
care these ex-offenders require to rehabilitate properly. And that is what we should all fear and work together
to overcome.
Bethel Ministries is fulfilling a worthy and necessary Christian service, devoted to its community and those who
seek help in changing their lives. Review the news through some of these timely articles and videos and notice
the consistency of "change for the better overall", despite typical fears and frustrations. Please feel free to
CONTACT US with any questions. See and read some of the newest stories & videos relating to Bethel
Ministries in our FREQUENTLY IN THE NEWS "Archives"
Every now and then Bethel Ministries is noted in the Boise Idaho area news.
From this page we have begun collecting news articles to share with you pertaining to our faith based
Christian ministry effort to serve those who need us as well as raise awareness about Bethel Ministries
service and educate others in these timely, life saving Christian works going on in our community.
One only needs to get an inside our ministry to understand and feel the triumphs and trials of taking on such
a necessary Christian work. Keeping up with the news can help. There is plenty of 'bad news' coming from the
media to be had, but the truth is that the overall success rate of Bethel's program has been 90% and such
fruits are truly motivating. We too have plenty of good news to share and are not deterred by 1) occasional
individual failures because human beings can fail before they succeed, but rather come to learn from such
failures and how we can better help others in similar circumstances. Likewise, 2) we are not deterred by
negative media reports which may come and go because our cause is greater than any occasional
sensationalized report put out by the competitive media.
Bethel Ministries as well as other similar transitional program ministries face many struggles in the public eye
as they take on some of the most difficult Christian tasks which many fear through sometimes a lack of
understanding or are simply unequipped to do themselves. Thank God, some are equipped and willing to
carry out these tasks!
Until our communities are educated as to the overall value of such transitional home's successes, focus on
the fruits and lawfully support them, then more and more ex-offenders will return to society unchanged
because currently our governments cannot provide the intensive and specialized programs and monitored
care these ex-offenders require to rehabilitate properly. And that is what we should all fear and work together
to overcome.
Bethel Ministries is fulfilling a worthy and necessary Christian service, devoted to its community and those who
seek help in changing their lives. Review the news through some of these timely articles and videos and notice
the consistency of "change for the better overall", despite typical fears and frustrations. Please feel free to
CONTACT US with any questions. See and read some of the newest stories & videos relating to Bethel
Ministries in our FREQUENTLY IN THE NEWS "Archives"
| See our page on IDAHO LAW MAKING in relation to Transitional Homes |
Edition Date: May 3, 2008
The Idaho Statesman
"Canyon County ordinance
would restrict housing for sex
offenders"
BY KRISTIN RODINE -
krodine@idahostatesman.com
Edition Date: 05/03/08
A Canyon County plan to place
restrictions on housing for sex
offenders could discourage such
homes from opening in the county,
the head of one nonprofit group said
Friday - although he says state
officials know the county needs the
service.
A county zoning ordinance would
keep sex-offender homes out of
residential or neighborhood
commercial zones, require they get a
conditional-use permit and outline
various other requirements.
Canyon County commissioners
invited interested community
members to pore over the draft, and
less than halfway through the list of
rules, Rob Lee said his interest in
opening a group home to serve
Canyon County offenders was
plummeting.
"With the prospect of this going into
effect, I'm drained of all desire," said
Lee, executive director of Bethel
Ministries, which operates four group
homes in Boise that serve sex
offenders. He said District 3 Probation
and Parole has repeatedly asked
Bethel to open a group home in
Canyon County.
The proposed county regulations -
part of an ongoing, overall revamp of
the county zoning ordinance - were
prompted by a new Idaho law that
gives local governments authority to
regulate how and where homes for
more than two registered sex
offenders can operate.
Lee called the bill and the county
proposal "feel-good" measures that
focus on location. But he said there is
no established link between the
geography of a sex offender's home
and his likelihood to re-offend.
But Patty Bell, a Nampa real estate
agent, said keeping sex-offender
homes out of residential areas is
essential.
"There's a need for these homes, but
providing safety for everybody is
imperative, not just feel-good," Bell
said.
The initial draft called for limiting
sex-offender homes to industrial
areas, but Bell urged officials to allow
them in commercial areas, too. She
noted that shelters such as Boise
Rescue Mission and Nampa's
Lighthouse successfully operate in
commercial zones.
Participants agreed to allow
sex-offender homes in the county's
most intense commercial zone but not
in areas zoned community
commercial or neighborhood
commercial. The regulations would
not apply to transition homes for other
former inmates.
Commissioners invited Lee, Bell, and
residents with expertise in land-use
or sex-offender issues to attend
Friday's workshop to help shape the
proposal. No other members of the
public weighed in.
Many revisions were made, and the
discussion will continue at 2 p.m.
Thursday.
A public hearing will be held within
30 to 60 days, once the revision
process is complete, commission
Chairman David Ferdinand said.
After the meeting, Lee said he worries
that if Idaho and its communities
layer on more regulations to restrict
sex offenders, it could force some
offenders to stop trying to follow the
rules.
"My concern is that we don't create
such an impossible environment for
sex offenders to live in that we have
many go underground or
uncompliant," he said.
Kristin Rodine: 377-6447
The Idaho Statesman
"Canyon County ordinance
would restrict housing for sex
offenders"
BY KRISTIN RODINE -
krodine@idahostatesman.com
Edition Date: 05/03/08
A Canyon County plan to place
restrictions on housing for sex
offenders could discourage such
homes from opening in the county,
the head of one nonprofit group said
Friday - although he says state
officials know the county needs the
service.
A county zoning ordinance would
keep sex-offender homes out of
residential or neighborhood
commercial zones, require they get a
conditional-use permit and outline
various other requirements.
Canyon County commissioners
invited interested community
members to pore over the draft, and
less than halfway through the list of
rules, Rob Lee said his interest in
opening a group home to serve
Canyon County offenders was
plummeting.
"With the prospect of this going into
effect, I'm drained of all desire," said
Lee, executive director of Bethel
Ministries, which operates four group
homes in Boise that serve sex
offenders. He said District 3 Probation
and Parole has repeatedly asked
Bethel to open a group home in
Canyon County.
The proposed county regulations -
part of an ongoing, overall revamp of
the county zoning ordinance - were
prompted by a new Idaho law that
gives local governments authority to
regulate how and where homes for
more than two registered sex
offenders can operate.
Lee called the bill and the county
proposal "feel-good" measures that
focus on location. But he said there is
no established link between the
geography of a sex offender's home
and his likelihood to re-offend.
But Patty Bell, a Nampa real estate
agent, said keeping sex-offender
homes out of residential areas is
essential.
"There's a need for these homes, but
providing safety for everybody is
imperative, not just feel-good," Bell
said.
The initial draft called for limiting
sex-offender homes to industrial
areas, but Bell urged officials to allow
them in commercial areas, too. She
noted that shelters such as Boise
Rescue Mission and Nampa's
Lighthouse successfully operate in
commercial zones.
Participants agreed to allow
sex-offender homes in the county's
most intense commercial zone but not
in areas zoned community
commercial or neighborhood
commercial. The regulations would
not apply to transition homes for other
former inmates.
Commissioners invited Lee, Bell, and
residents with expertise in land-use
or sex-offender issues to attend
Friday's workshop to help shape the
proposal. No other members of the
public weighed in.
Many revisions were made, and the
discussion will continue at 2 p.m.
Thursday.
A public hearing will be held within
30 to 60 days, once the revision
process is complete, commission
Chairman David Ferdinand said.
After the meeting, Lee said he worries
that if Idaho and its communities
layer on more regulations to restrict
sex offenders, it could force some
offenders to stop trying to follow the
rules.
"My concern is that we don't create
such an impossible environment for
sex offenders to live in that we have
many go underground or
uncompliant," he said.
Kristin Rodine: 377-6447
Posted: May 2, 2008 06:41 PM MDT
See the video.
"Canyon Co. Debates New Rules
For Sex Offender Housing"
READ THE WRITTEN STORY
FROM ABOVE
KIVI-TV TODAY'S 6 NEWS
CALDWELL, IDAHO --
Canyon County leaders want to put
tougher restrictions on where sex
offenders can live.
Right now, cities and counties can
only do so much under federal law.
But state lawmakers recently passed a
bill giving them more authority to
regulate where the houses can go.
Commissioners want to push
transitional homes for offenders out of
neighborhoods, and into "light
industrial areas."
They would also want to cap the
number of offenders who share a
home at eight, and require
conditional-use permits for the homes.
Some say that raises the bar too high.
"I'm concerned that we're going to
start limiting so much that it will
eliminate us from any possibility of
coming to Canyon County," said Rob
Lee, executive director of Bethel
Ministries.
Opponents say tougher laws would
force offenders underground, and
away from any sort of monitoring.
No decisions have been made just yet.
See the video.
"Canyon Co. Debates New Rules
For Sex Offender Housing"
READ THE WRITTEN STORY
FROM ABOVE
KIVI-TV TODAY'S 6 NEWS
CALDWELL, IDAHO --
Canyon County leaders want to put
tougher restrictions on where sex
offenders can live.
Right now, cities and counties can
only do so much under federal law.
But state lawmakers recently passed a
bill giving them more authority to
regulate where the houses can go.
Commissioners want to push
transitional homes for offenders out of
neighborhoods, and into "light
industrial areas."
They would also want to cap the
number of offenders who share a
home at eight, and require
conditional-use permits for the homes.
Some say that raises the bar too high.
"I'm concerned that we're going to
start limiting so much that it will
eliminate us from any possibility of
coming to Canyon County," said Rob
Lee, executive director of Bethel
Ministries.
Opponents say tougher laws would
force offenders underground, and
away from any sort of monitoring.
No decisions have been made just yet.
From the archives of the
and other specifically noted publications
| BETHEL MINISTRIES |
TV NEWS VIDEO Boise Idaho
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| Most Common Myths Dispelled Concerning Sexual Offenders View Myths Dispelled You also might want to view "What is Mercy" and "What Is Hope" |
The Ministry | The Program | The Criteria | Resident Life | Program Applications | Calendar | In The News | Idaho Laws Annual Report | Contact Us | Affiliations & Links | Donate | Bethel Ministries PO Box 44106 Boise, Idaho 83711-0106 | Fax: (208) 345-5331 Contact: Ministry Director David McKellip at davidmckellip777@gmail.com Ph 208-914-0231 Bethel Ministries © 2009 | A 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. |