The Emmaus House, the county’s battered women and children
shelter, is at capacity for the first time since opening a year
ago.
Hollister – The Emmaus House, the county’s battered women and children shelter, is at capacity for the first time since opening a year ago.
But families in need of housing won’t be turned away.
After operating consistently at 80 percent to 90 percent capacity since opening in October 2006, all of the center’s rooms have been full the past three weeks. Executive Director Dale Yarmuth said it’s an indicator of the county’s need for housing and services for domestic violence victims.
“It’s a good and a bad situation. It’s bad that women have to come to a shelter like this, but it’s good that we are here for these women,” Yarmuth said.
The center has nine rooms – all of which have at least one woman – and currently has 17 children staying there. Yarmuth said that despite being at capacity, no families have been turned down for services.
“They have not been turned away, and we will not turn any women away,” Yarmuth said. “If we have to, we’ll double up. Worst case scenario, we’ll find a place for them, a place in the county or a motel. We don’t turn anyone away who is a battered woman.”
The shelter encourages women to stay at least one month, Yarmuth said. If they need help finding a job, people working and volunteering for Emmaus House give them resume and interview assistance.
Because of the shelter’s limited capacity, women must leave after three months. But if assistance is needed in finding a place to stay, the center’s staff will help.
Yarmuth believes the county needs more transitional and affordable housing so that women could have more options, he said.
Although Emmaus House’s staff is not currently worried about domestic violence victim’s getting turned away, they say the full beds are a clear sign that the community needed a center like it.
Local law enforcement officials agree.
“Now that they’ve opened and they’re already a capacity, it’s an indicator that there is a need for that in this community,” said San Benito County Sheriff’s Lt. Roy Iler, who used to be on Emmaus House’s board of directors. “Hopefully, this will bring the community together to get more support.”
Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller said for a while the police department was getting a domestic violence call every shift of every day and it hasn’t been much better recently. Emmaus House has helped provide officers with resources for the victims.
“Domestic violence is, without a doubt, an issue for this community,” Miller said. “Overall, I’m dismayed that we have such a domestic problem that we need such a facility, but I think it’s good that we have this facility to address the problem.”
A battered women’s center was in the plans for San Benito County for more than 10 years before Emmaus House’s opening last year. While Yarmuth said there is no immediate emergency – the center has enough staffing and volunteers to address needs of the women and children – he is looking at the shelter’s future.
“The board is looking at our capacity and deciding if we need to add more and find another building,” Yarmuth said. “We’re always looking ahead.”
