City of Green Bay Orders Removal of Unhoused

Today, Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary received an order from the City of Green Bay to stop housing unhoused people overnight. This comes after Safe Haven allowed unhoused people to stay during the snap freeze, with many people unable to access alternatives like St. John’s Homeless Shelter. The order also listed allegations of drinking and smoking occurring on the premises. These claims are currently unsubstantiated. Instead of working to house these people, the city is focusing on attacking businesses that are picking up the slack.

The founder of Safe Haven, Elizabeth Feldhausen, went to Facebook with tbe following response:

"The City of Green Bay Government has sent a notice that the unhoused individuals, that are working, volunteering, and keeping an eye on our building, need to be out immediately. I am processing."

Feldhausen later writes the following on a separate post:

"Okay. I have had time to think.

I think it’s a misunderstanding. We had people (who seem to not like the unhoused) say that people were drinking and smoking in the sanctuary.

We have 24/7 surveillance, and staff. This simply isn’t true. 

All of the unhoused there are official volunteers, paperwork and all. They have been learning and taking responsibility for tasks around the sanctuary. A few are training to become employed when the need arises.

However, in order to comply with the city until we can work something out, I will be getting folks set up elsewhere.

I will be meeting with the Mayor on Tuesday, to discuss ways that we can continue to help our community together.

I wanted to add some successes: We had a beautiful meeting last night, where we discussed what it means to work or volunteer for us, and what that would mean as far as staying sober, and becoming an expert in your tasks. We also discussed how we need to act, and present ourselves, and hold ourselves accountable if we want the community to see us differently. For who we ARE, not by stigma or bias. This morning, 4 went inpatient. On their own terms. Because they want to stick around longer and help the cats. Thats huge.

Cathi clued me in that after I left, the volunteers held their own meeting to discuss how they can avoid “messing this up”. I watched on the security system as they assigned tasks to themselves and each other. I was told, that they hadn’t felt so much hope in years.

This morning we woke up to the notice. As you can imagine, we are feeling the emotional whiplash.

But what came after? Community members poured into the building to assist. Lawyers, public representatives, and community orgs who want to help. We can collaboratively figure this out together.

Will this always be a Safe Haven thing? No, we simply saw people freezing outside and had them come in. But we are happy to support our community right now, with the resources we are so lucky to have.

I will once again be collecting money on Cash App and PayPal for anyone who’d like to help me pay for this weekends accommodations for the unhoused."

PayPal: elizabethfeldhausen@gmail.com Cashapp: $elizabethfeldhausen