Homeless Shelter Site Draws Concerns From Parents, Neighbors

EDGEWOOD, MD ? Plans to turn a shuttered elementary school into a temporary emergency homeless shelter drew concerns from parents whose children attend a nearby charter school, as well as neighbors.

Edgewood city leaders shared the plan to turn the former Edgewood Elementary School building into an overnight overflow site during "Code Purple" emergencies that started mid-November and run through March. People would be bussed to the shelter, according to the plan.

A recent community meeting shared details of the plan and allowed others to speak out about it. The former school is located next to the KIPP Baltimore Academy, a charter school.

"Who's going to be there to make sure this space is separated from our students?" parent Quiana Dunn-Gordon said at the meeting, reported WBAL.

"We are asking about safety," said Cheryl Crosby, who lives in the neighborhood. "We are asking about the children's safety. We're asking about the safety of our homes."