“If I thought this was going to add to the trouble in Carr Square, we wouldn’t be proposing this. There is no reasonable debate about the need and it’s right here in this community,” Roth told the audience.

Leaders of St. Patrick and Peter and Paul don’t expect people to stay at Biddle House for more than six to nine months, in a concept what they call “rapid rehousing.” The shelter will have 98 beds and provide meals and services like employment and housing help to between 75 and 125 people daily. The idea is to provide help so that homelessness does not persist.

Laurie Phillips, chief executive officer for St. Patrick Center, said during the meeting that more than half of the people who come to her agency are candidates for rapid rehousing. She added these people typically need a “very low level” of services and would likely not return to homelessness.

“Biddle House, in our opinion, is a really innovative concept we need right now in our region to end homelessness,” Phillips said.

Biddle House’s renovation comes as the Bridge Outreach at Centenary United Methodist Church, another homeless center, is set to close at the end of June because of an expired lease. Roth said the Bridge’s closing will leave behind a population in need of services that Biddle House can provide.