Ramsey County is scrambling for other options to relocate a homeless shelter after Luther Seminary walked away from the lease deal.

“That is surprising and shocking,” said neighbor Aaron Arredondo. “There’s been a lack of transparency [and] communication from the seminary is my opinion.”

New neighbors were set to move into the St. Anthony Park neighborhood this summer, but plans have changed.

Ramsey County was on track to relocate the Safe Space Shelter to a vacant Luther Seminary dorm
for at least two years.

On Monday, the Luther Seminary said in a statement they’re pulling out of the deal after receiving feedback from St. Anthony Park neighbors.

“As a gospel-centered community, we felt this opportunity to meet a need in our region aligned with our values,” said Heidi Droegemueller, vice president for seminary relations, in a statement. “… it has become clear in recent days that moving forward with Safe Space Shelter is not a constructive path for the seminary or the neighborhood at this time.”

“I’m not terribly surprised, but I’m not for or against it,” Alex Bajcz, who lives across the street, said. “My philosophy has always been if everybody NIMBY then the thing ends up nowhere and so we can’t all NIMBY.”

In 2020, the county leased the same dorm as a temporary shelter for women and couples experiencing homelessness for two years.

“Just a change in the neighborhood. I mean, there were drug deals happening in front of the street. There was litter just thrown out in the road,” Arredondo said. “Safety is a concern.”

But Ramsey County officials said this time around would have been different.

“We know everyone by name before they come to the shelter and as they’re leaving, we know their stories. We know their information. We also plan for additional security and to be on-site and plan for clean-up,” said Trista Martinson, Ramsey County Commissioner.

Martinson mentioned Model Cities, a St. Paul social services organization, would have been in charge of the shelter.

County leaders and partners had plans to address community concerns at a town hall meeting scheduled for Tuesday, but it is now canceled.

“After we had worked long and hard to set up not just to find a location, a perfect location, a former dormitory that had dignified shelter space and beds that we had used before,” Martinson said.

County and city leaders are back to the drawing board to find a new shelter location on what they call a tight budget.

“It is the most devastating news I’ve received as an elected official,” Martinson said. “This is a neighborhood that everyone has ‘All are Welcome Here’ signs in their yard. I did not expect this kind of concern.”

Ramsey County is now looking for a different location for this homeless shelter and officials are encouraging the community to come forward with ideas for a potential alternative location.

Contact Commissioner Trista Martinson’s office or the Housing Stability Department with ideas.

Luther Seminary declined an on-camera interview.

RELATED: Ramsey County board approves funding to continue operations at 2 shelters