Enger: Homeless campus in Wheaton would be redundant

A longtime advocate for homeless veterans says a Wheaton architect’s plan to bring a homeless campus to the old Hubble Middle School site would duplicate services already offered by the county.

“He needs to be a little bit more educated about what is already available in (DuPage),” said county board member Dirk Enger, an Operation Desert Storm veteran and co-founder of the Wheaton-based Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. “What he is saying is that he wants this one-stop shop. It’s already done at the county level and it’s done very efficiently.”

However, he said, he hopes to see Tom Cherrington continue to use his experience as a builder to help fight homelessness.

“I’m hoping he comes around and continues to encourage others to get involved,” Enger said. “That’s the way to go.”

Last month, Cherrington unveiled a vision for the 22-acre site at the northeast corner of Roosevelt Road and Main Street. He said it could house an intake facility and transitional housing for homeless people who were ready to return to a “normal” life.

His message culminated in a rally last week during which Cherrington asked supporters to pitch in where they can. Additionally, he said his vision includes clothing and transportation services for homeless people.

But Enger said those things already are offered through several organizations that have been doing such work for years.

He said Cherrington’s skills could be useful if he volunteered for organizations that build houses for the homeless, such as Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, he said, Cherrington needs a business plan if this is going to work.

“I am hoping this could be on the list of things that are needed to cure homelessness,” Enger said. “The perception is this thing can get going and he can hit the ground running. But it’s years away.”

Cherrington said his next step will be to incorporate his newly formed organization, Better Angels of Our Nature Foundation, to start accepting donations.

He estimates he eventually will need about $10 million to renovate and fix the building, as well as an additional $300,000 a year for upkeep.

“I’m not trying to compete, I’m trying to enhance what they have going,” said Cherrington, who placed his chances of getting Hubble in a new auction at 50-50. “I am just hoping to see if we can’t expand it.”

Although he would not get into details, Cherrington said he plans to hold another rally in the future.

He said he has been pleased that his call for the site’s use has at least raised the issue of homelessness.

“These are unheralded heroes as far as I’m concerned,” he said of the volunteers who donate their time at area organizations such as the People’s Resource Center and DuPage PADS. “It’d be wonderful if people were aware they are out there.”

Ultimately, he said, even without Hubble, he hopes his vision can find a home somewhere in the county.

“Hubble is a concept,” he said. “I’m not going to give up on the concept of having a large campus where these services can be combined.”