A new site near DeKalb Fire Station No. 3 on West Dresser Road was approved Monday by the city council as a likely site for a new homeless shelter. City staff, the DeKalb County Housing Authority and Hope Haven now will begin negotiations to make the facility a reality.

Several city officials, as well as some community members, expressed disappointment in the response of Greek Row residents to the proposed conversion of the Delta Upsilon house.

The house is owned by the DeKalb Housing Authority, and was under consideration for conversion into an extension of Hope Haven, a facility aimed at providing a place to stay for the homeless.

“Because part of this community was not willing to accept the DU house for this facility, the City of DeKalb will be spending $175,000 additional dollars to build a new structure,” Second ward Ald. Kris Povlsen said.

He later was corrected by Mayor Greg Sparrow about how much the site actually was worth, a misconception Sparrow said was brought about because the city owns the land, making it unavailable for industrial, commercial or residential development. Though the specific cost to the city Povlsen mentioned was higher than estimated, there was no question the new site will cost the city, the housing authority and Hope Haven significantly more than converting the house located on Blackhawk Drive.

Seventh ward Ald. Joe Sosnowski was the sole voice that appeared to be against the previous proposal.

“There were people opposed to this, but the community needs to realize it is important to have houses for Greek organizations,” he said. “The Greek Row area would not be the Greek Row area without Greek houses.”

Sosnowski said he preferred the West Dresser plan presented Monday because it would allow the old DU house to be sold by the housing authority to another Greek organization.

Lesly Wicks, Executive Director of Hope Haven, said she liked the proposed location for the facility, but was unhappy with the outcome of the Blackhawk Drive site.

“I don’t think either site would really have made a difference,” she said. “I’m more concerned, now, with the safety of our population, and feel we would be locating into a hostile environment (at the Delta Upsilon house).”

Wicks concluded by saying the new location is acceptable to the organization.

Concerns about converting the house had been brought up several times by residents on Greek Row, and Wicks specifically referred to letters to the editor printed in the Northern Star.

“I’ve been disappointed through the months,” she continued. “I understand there were some logistical problems with the site, but the overall negative attention brought out in this was unwarranted.”

The consideration to further examine the West Dresser site was approved by a unanimous vote.