But community and faith leaders, including Catholic priests and lay people, continued to advocate for the project and were able to convince a key member of the Council to change his position. By the time Council voted on Dec. 19 to amend the City’s General Plan so that the facility could be built, it was a 6-0 vote in favor of the project.
The latest facility proposed by Mary’s Mercy Center, Mary’s Village would follow the model of Veronica’s Home of Mercy I and II, which offers long-term housing, rehabilitation and training to homeless women with the aim of helping them rebuild their lives. Located on Artesia Street, the 85-bed facility is to be part of a south campus for Mary’s Mercy Center that would also include a medical and education building, apartments, a community garden and community care facilities. The $12.2 million cost of the project is being raised entirely by Mary’s Mercy Center.
“It’s wrap-around services. It’s a stable place for people to stay,” says Father Manuel Cardoza, Administrator of Our Lady of Hope Parish in San Bernardino. “It’s based on a person’s desire to change their life.”
Fr. Cardoza and Father Leonard DePasquale, I.M.C., Administrator of St. Bernardine Parish in San Bernardino, were the leading Catholic voices in the City, imploring members of the City Council to reconsider their votes to reject Mary’s Village last fall. The two priests met privately with members of the council and co-authored a strongly-worded guest editorial in the San Bernardino County Sun newspaper about the matter.
“We worked and collaborated, and we brought pressure,” Fr. Cardoza said. “We caused them to rethink.”
Mike Hein, Vice President/Administrator of Mary’s Mercy Center, lauded Councilman Benito Barrios, who had initially voted against the project but changed his position to support it in December.
“Council member Benito Barrios spent time and energy to become more informed about the homeless population and Mary’s Village program and we are grateful the he has voted yes for the project,” said Hein.
The Mary’s Village project prompted the City Council to revisit its strategy for dealing with homelessness in San Bernardino. Hein said he believes Mary’s Village will be consistent with how the City wants to address this challenge.
The most recent official count of the homeless population in San Bernardino, released ten months ago, was 564 people, though social service providers like Catholic Charities have said the actual number of homeless people is much higher.