Camp Hope, which provides beds and bathrooms, in September. Isabella Doer | Collegian

Homeless shelter must show plans to meet building codes by January, city manager says

The City of Hillsdale gave a homeless shelter until Jan. 28 to secure funding or submit plans showing progress toward the construction of a permanent building, according to Melissa DesJardin, executive director of Hillsdale Community Thrift and Camp Hope.

“Camp Hope was always intended as a short-term solution, and it does not meet the zoning, use, and occupancy requirements established by local and state codes, which are in place to ensure the health, safety, and well-being for everyone in our community,” City Manager David Mackie told The Collegian in a statement.

At the same time, Hillsdale Community Thrift is facing a looming debt payment that was due at the end of September, but DesJardin said the landlords decided to grant her an extension.

“I have until the end of the year to pay them off — or at least be very close — meaning there better be a solid plan in motion,” she said. “If we can’t raise it, then we have to take out a loan.”

DesJardin said she opened Camp Hope in April 2023 as a temporary response to Hillsdale’s ordinance banning camping on public property. The shelter — a large tent behind the thrift store — currently provides beds and bathrooms to 23 individuals, including three minors. One is a 19-month-old baby.

The city’s 90-day notice puts Camp Hope at a crossroads. During the Nov. 18 city council meeting, DesJardin said she physically could not tear down the tent in January because of the cold.

“It’s literally anchored to the ground,” she said. “I’m not going to be able to take it down, so I will figure out a way to work with the city in whatever way I can.”

DesJardin said she still plans to work with the zoning and planning commissions to find transitional housing for the homeless.

Ward 4 Councilman Robert Socha said while he appreciates DesJardin’s efforts, the city needs to stop ignoring the ordinance against camping.

“Recently I had members of our public safety, both police and fire, tell me that the tent is not in as good of a condition as what Missy described today,” Socha said. “They thought it was a fire hazard, and they thought that it was a danger.”

Socha said if the city keeps ignoring ordinances, others will try to take advantage of the relaxed rules. He added that the city has two ordinances against camping, one for city property and one for private property.

DesJardin said Camp Hope has housed more than 200 individuals since April 2023 and never fewer than 11 at one time. Only five have come from outside Hillsdale County — one of whom was an illegal immigrant and gang member headed for Canada, DesJardin said. The City of Hillsdale Police Department removed the immigrant within three days of his arrival.

DesJardin said at Monday’s council meeting that she housed the other homeless individuals in her office and in her home while the gang member was at Camp Hope.

“I made sure he was well fed, and if y’all know anything about weed, I made sure that there was indica on the property so that he’d be on the couch, so he more or less slept and ate,” she said. “I didn’t really want him to have any energy to walk around.”

She said although police have dropped people off at Camp Hope, the shelter is not attracting people from outside the county because of Hillsdale’s lack of resources.

A document of questions and concerns from Mackie and City Assessor Kim Thomas outlined the zoning and safety requirements Camp Hope must meet to move forward. 

“We recognize that situations like this must be handled delicately, with respect for both the property owner and the individuals affected,” the document reads. “Throughout this process, we have sought to balance compassion with our duty to enforce local ordinances, and we believe the 90 days provided allowed sufficient time to address these concerns responsibly.”

DesJardin questioned whether the timeline allows her to address the needs of Hillsdale’s homeless population.

“It’s not out of nowhere, technically, because we all knew that Camp Hope was a temporary solution,” DesJardin said. “But we all thought that with the task force and the city all being involved, this might be resolved by now.” 

As winter approaches, DesJardin said she also fears the impact of a shutdown on the 23 residents who rely on Camp Hope for shelter and stability.

“Ninety days puts us in February,” DeJardin said. 

She said she has been working closely with city officials to help Camp Hope meet local zoning and safety standards. 

“We’re doing everything we can, but there’s so much red tape,” DesJardin said. “And every day we spend trying to secure support is a day closer to winter.”

Josiah Lippincott, a graduate student and member of the mayor’s task force on homelessness, said he has issues with the city’s approach to enforcing local codes.

“Sometimes the code is ignored or massaged, as in Missy’s case, and other times it is ruthlessly enforced,” Lippincott said. “This arrangement makes me deeply uneasy.”

DesJardin said she believes the city’s resistance to supporting Camp Hope reflects a broader misconception about homelessness. 

“There’s a perception that addressing homelessness will harm our city,” she said. “But if we don’t help, who will? This is about compassion and providing for those who need us most.”

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