HomeMy WebLinkAbout052126_HAC_St Joseph's Draft Letter to Parents_FINAL
May 27, 2026
Dear Hyannis West Elementary School Parents,
We understand and respect your concerns about the relocation of St. Joseph’s House shelter from
its current location at 77 Winter Street to a more modern and accessible campus at 460 West
Main Street and we have some information to share that we hope will provide clarification and
reassurance.
We know as a parent that there is absolutely nothing more important than the safety of your
child. As a member of the Cape Cod community since 1984, St. Joseph’s House has always
prioritized the safety of both the members of the community as well as the shelter’s guests.
St. Joseph’s House, which is operated by Catholic Charities, has served individuals across the
Cape and has proven itself a safe and responsible neighbor. The majority of the shelter’s guests
are long-time Cape Cod residents facing housing instability due to the regional housing crisis.
Nearly half of the shelter guests are employed; many of the guests are older and living on a fixed
income.
The shelter’s current location has safely operated in close proximity to several Cape Cod schools
and across the street from a school bus stop for many years and safety will remain the priority at
the new location at 460 West Main Street.
The new shelter will better meet the needs of those we serve by offering guests expanded
services such as a day program, on-site medical care, and case management. The location
provides a modernized, ADA-accessible, one-floor facility.
Shelter flow:
• The shelter does not operate on a “first come, first served” basis. Instead, the people who
are in the shelter have participated in an intake process and are assigned a bed.
• As long as they are compliant with shelter rules, each day they are able to leave their
belongings at the shelter and then return in the evening. So, in essence, St. Joseph’s staff
work with the same group of people each night.
• Many of the shelter guests are employed during the day and stay at the shelter at night
because they cannot find or afford a place to live.
• If someone is seeking shelter, they must call first to see if a bed is available, and if not,
they are placed on a waiting list.
• As shelter guests transition from shelter to housing, and a spot becomes available, staff
refer to the waiting list to schedule an intake into the shelter. This organized process
serves a few purposes:
o It allows shelter guests greater stability to work more consistently with staff on
their housing goals and exit homelessness;
o It allows for greater continuity and consistency of shelter operations;
o It prevents a flow of individuals coming to the shelter and surrounding
neighborhood in search of a bed and being turned away due to a lack of bed
availability.
In addition, the schedule of the shelter will not interfere with Hyannis West Elementary School
arrival or dismissal times. We’ve created an updated daily schedule that reflects the changing
needs of shelter guests and highlights improvements in client flow and quality of life. These
enhancements will be implemented at the time of relocation, and are made possible solely by the
expanded spaces of the new building.
We are implementing the following adjustments to improve operations and guest experience:
• Expanding access to the Day Program and enabling guests to transition directly into a
dedicated program space without having to exit the building;
• Shifting morning discharge to 9:00 a.m.;
• Adjusting shelter curfew to 3:00 p.m. This means that all shelter guests must be inside
the shelter by 3:00 p.m.
These revisions will best meet the needs of students, families, and shelter guests by
accommodating community needs and student safety while allowing St. Joseph’s House to
continue to provide support and pathways to permanent housing for individuals experiencing
housing insecurity across Cape Cod.
To learn more about our work, please visit CapeShelterRelocation.org.
Sincerely,
Susan Mazzarella Alisa Magnotta
Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer
Catholic Charities Housing Assistance Corporation