To the editor:
I am responding to the letter to the editor by Mr. Jack Stauffer that was posted on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025.
As a resident who spends time in Uptown Athens daily, I can say that any safety or management concerns I had about the proposed Conestoga Huts at The Gathering Place property on 5 N. Congress have been alleviated. That’s because of The Gathering Place’s nearly 50-year track record of community support and its careful planning for how the huts would be managed.
Is this project needed in Athens? Absolutely. Athens County lacks adequate shelter capacity. A local nonprofit study found that for every 3.5 affordable housing units, there are 10 extremely low-income households. From January to June 2025, The Gathering Place served 116 unhoused individuals. Timothy House — the only all-ages homeless shelter in Athens — has just 15 beds. While small, the three Conestoga Huts will provide safe shelter for an estimated 10 more people over the coming year.
I’d also like to clarify and correct several claims made in a previous letter to the editor, using verified local sources.
Yes, The Gathering Place is not open 24/7. However, the house manager at Mike’s Bridge House next door will provide overnight oversight, and 15 security cameras support management. Access to the huts will be controlled by a fence and locked gate. During the day, the gate will remain locked after residents leave to prevent loitering or public access.
According to The Gathering Place handbook, staff review court records for any criminal history of applicants. If staff determines that the criminal history puts the other clients or members at risk of danger, the applicant will be denied services, or referred to a determined treatment program for outside services. Criminal histories which may result in denial of services include Tier I, II, or III registered sex offenders or extensive/recent convictions of violent felonious crimes.
A felony conviction alone does not automatically bar someone from receiving basic shelter or support — just as it doesn’t disqualify someone from running for or serving as U.S. President.
Mr. Stauffer is incorrect in claiming that conditional use permits are automatically approved. The second ordinance before City Council, allowing temporary shelters in R3 (multi-family) and B3 (general business) zones, requires approval from both the City Service-Safety Director and the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA; full disclosure: I serve as Chair of the BZA). The BZA process includes a public hearing, as required by Ohio law, where members consider public input, site location and plans, and potential detriment to adjacent properties and uses, before making a decision based on the facts of each case.
This ordinance also specifies that “said shelters must be under the supervision and care of a licensed local health/welfare agency.” The Gathering Place meets that requirement and is supported by the Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board, the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health, and 19 other partner organizations.
In conclusion, The Gathering Place’s Conestoga Hut project is a common-sense proposal already approved by the City Planning Commission and supported by city officials.
Public input has reportedly been about two-to-one in favor. I encourage residents to review the facts and share their views with city council via email prior to the hearing or speak before city council during the public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20.
Rob Delach
Athens, Ohio
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