CHAMPAIGN – Property and services of the Catholic Worker House could be in trouble following inspections by the city of Champaign.

Notices sent Thursday to representatives of the Worker House listed several safety and building-code violations at the house, 314 S. Randolph St., and the Annex, a building occupied by staff at 314 Cottage Court.

In one letter, Zoning Administrator Kevin Phillips cited the illegal use of land by tents for the homeless and orders the practice to be halted by July 17 or face fines of up to $750 per day.

Phillips said city zoning in the area allows for emergency shelter for homeless, transitional housing for homeless and multifamily housing.

"But all of those must be within a structure," Phillips said. "We have consistently, over the years, not allowed people to live in pitched tents."

There have even been instances where city inspectors have found families who hooked up a recreational vehicle parked in a driveway with the intent to stay there all summer. That is also not allowed, he said.

A "tent community" for homeless was set up this summer in the backyard of the Catholic Worker House. City officials met June 22 with about two dozen people to discuss the situation and organizers were told that the tent city was illegal.

In another letter to Catholic Worker House representatives, Tim Spear, property maintenance supervisor, said an inspection June 29 resulted in citations for violations at the Annex which make the property "dangerous to the life, health, or safety of the public or occupants" and the property will be condemned for occupancy unless corrections are made within 30 days.

Spear said in a separate letter that violations were also found at the Worker House. His letters said he will reinspect the buildings Aug. 3. If the violations at the annex are not corrected, that property will be condemned and must be vacated, he warned.

He said the attic at the Worker House is being used illegally and the building will need to be remodeled to use the attic. That will require a building permit and architectural plans, he said.

Specifically, the violations for 314 Cottage Court were:

— Lack of windows for emergency exit for bedrooms.

— Lack of functional smoke detectors in required locations.

— Lack of two carbon monoxide detectors with 15 feet of sleeping rooms.

— Missing light fixtures and exposed wiring in two ceilings.

— Hole in one ceiling.

— Fire extinguishers without current inspection tags.

— Furnace filter clogged with dirt and dust and that does not appear to fit.

— Lack of labels for individual breakers of circuit breaker.

— Southwest corner of the foundation is cracked and has shifted.

— Exposed wiring to receptacle outlets and switches in the detached garage.

— Lack of cover plate for a light switch in the garage.

Spear also said the maximum occupancy for the Annex is five people.

In a separate letter, Spear cites violations at 317 S. Randolph St., where the Catholic Worker House now operates a soup kitchen Monday through Saturday. Among the violations were:

— No separate, fire-resistant exit for the residential occupancy from the commercial kitchen.

— Attic being used for storage and living/music room.

— A fire alarm system not monitored by a supervising station and lack of signs by each manual pull station with mandated notice of "when the alarm sounds – call 911."

— Lack of lock on a bathroom door on the second floor.

— Ventilation fan in the shower room not working.

— Lack of cover on a light fixture in the shower room.

— Exceeding maximum occupancy of four people with seven people sleeping in one bedroom.

— Lack of proper smoke detector in four bedrooms.

— Windows in three bedrooms not held by proper hardware.

— Lack of identification numbers for four bedrooms.

— Window stuck open.

— Receptacle outlets inoperative in two rooms.

— Door is not self-closing or latching.

— Lack of carbon monoxide detector in hallway.

— Lack of inspection tag on fire extinguisher.

— Lack of battery back-up for exit sign.

— Fire door does not self-close or latch in hallway.

— Table/stool, phone and extension cord in stairway.

— Lack of emergency lighting in stairway.

— Inoperable exit signs for dining room and kitchen.

— Extension cord for microwave used as substitute for permanent wiring.

— Hardware on first floor fire door prevents it from self-closing and latching.

— Refrigerator and other items stored on first floor landing.

— Basement fire door propped open.

— Secondary stairway in laundry room obstructed.

— Hot water storage tank lacks discharge pipe for temperature and pressure relief.

— Leak in pipe to boiler.

— Electrical service equipment not secured to prevent tampering.

Residents of 'tent community' seek aid

CHAMPAIGN – Representatives of Safe Haven, a "tent community" of homeless people currently camping behind Catholic Worker House in Champaign, asked other service providers for support Tuesday.

They also pleaded with Champaign City Council members that night to do more to create affordable housing generally, and asked for meetings between city officials and Safe Haven members to negotiate the tent community's future.

Speaking to the Council of Homeless Services Providers, the Safe Haven representatives said they hope to find a local church that will donate land and sponsor their tent community.

Jesse Masengale, a 22-year-old homeless man who helped organize the tent community, said the residents are people who "don't necessarily want to give up their dignity and independence."

Andy Kulczycki, director of the Community Service Center of Northern Champaign County in Rantoul, said he appreciates the wish of people to have dignity and independence.

"We are making people jump through a hell of a lot of hoops just to get a place to sleep," Kulczycki said.

Masengale said there is a core group of about 10 people staying at the tent community, with up to 15 some nights.

The group has developed its own by-laws, including a restriction against any alcohol or abused substance within a block, he said.

When asked by Kulczycki how they expect to get through the winter, Masengale said, "Most homeless people have camped through the winter."

Masengale said the Catholic Worker House annually shuts down its program in August, but the Safe Haven group hopes to move to another site by then.

Mabel Thomas, neighborhood services coordinator for Champaign, said the city has advised the residents that the tent city violates zoning regulations. Any churches in the city would fall under the same zoning restrictions, she said.

Other questions posed by members of the homeless services council included what kind of background checks and screening are done on tent city residents to see whether they are convicted sex offenders, for example, or whether any children are living there. Masengale said there are no background checks.

"We take anyone," he said.

But he said that, to his knowledge, there is not anyone under 18.

At the city council meeting, Laurel Nobilette asked "whether the city is willing to address the changing economic and social landscape in this town."

She said the tent community is "an alternative solution that doesn't rely on state funding."

Conrad Wetzel of Urbana told council members "the residents of Safe Haven should be given the blessing of Champaign."

"These are people in need," he said.

Council member Will Kyles said that when he first arrived in Champaign some years ago, "I lived in temporary housing for four months ... I stayed with friends and carried my bags. I am open to meeting and listening to ideas about affordable housing."

But he also said he would listen to what neighbors to the tent community had to say.

STEVE BAUER and MIKE MONSON