Homeless Shelter Can Stay Open After Smoke Alarms Are Installed

ORLAND PARK, IL — An overnight shelter for the homeless will continue to operate in Orland Park after fulfilling a court order to install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The village threatened to shut down the shelter earlier this month unless life-safety code violations were fixed.

Hope Covenant Church, 14401 West Ave. opened Orland Park’s first homeless shelter in 30 years on Oct. 3. The church is one of 11 south suburban churches that provides overnight shelter services on a weekly rotating basis. The overnight shelters are managed by LaGrange-based BEDS Plus, which provides professional counseling and other support services to help homeless guests find permanent housing.

Orland Park village officials inspected the church in October and claimed to have found 28 building and fire code violations. On Nov, 5, the Village of Orland Park expressed an overnight letter ordering the church to cease shelter operations until health and safety issues could be addressed. The church was also advised to seek the correct zoning classification.

An emergency motion for a temporary restraining order to protect health and safety was filed by the village on Nov. 7, according to a timeline on the village website. A Cook County Circuit Court judge convened a hearing the next day, ordering the church to provide a plan to provide a plan by Nov. 14 to correct life and safety issues.

Residents in support of the shelter packed the board room and blasted the mayor and trustees during Monday’s village board meeting. Earlier in the day, the judge ordered Hope Covenant to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors before operating its regularly scheduled overnight shelter the next day.

“The court ruling basically said to add smoke detectors,” Tr. Jim Dodge said after the meeting. “Like I said … I went to the church and saw staff and sprinklers. I didn’t see an emergency the way it was portrayed.”

The village released a statement on Thursday, announcing that village officials were in discussions with Hope Covenant Church after confirming that new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms had been installed and were in working order on Nov. 19.

“This step toward code compliance makes the space significantly safer for visitors and overnight guests," the statement read. "We hope to be able to work with the church to address the remaining safety concerns and make sure the people in their care are protected.”

Fogel said he reached out to the village in April and May, and then a three-minute presentation of the church’s plans to join the BEDS Plus network during public comments at the Aug. 5 village board meeting.

“We’ve always been willing to work with the village,” Fogel said. “We expect them to have us do certain things for our operation that are reasonable.”

The pastor said the church has installed residential smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, but is still waiting for direction from the Orland Fire Protection District on the type of commercial alarms they’d like the church to install.

“I don’t think that’s a question. When we did our inspection [Oct. 17], we told them to get alarms,” Mayor Keith Pekau said. “The judge ordered them to install smoke detectors if they wanted to open on Tuesday and to allow us to inspect, which we did. The judge did not grant a temporary restraining order. It’s a positive step in the right direction.”

A preliminary injunction hearing is set for Dec. 2 at the Daley Center.

“I don’t want two sides,” Fogel said. “I want one side with the village and church working together to serve the homeless in Orland Park.”