Kitchen closed: Catholic worker house shut down
SAN ANTONIO — A city code inspector slapped the Catholic Worker House with a violation for serving food to the homeless without the proper permit.
Some people consider the Catholic Worker House a threat to neighborhood safety and property values, and they are relieved the place is temporarily shut down and unable to serve meals to its homeless clientele.
The Director of the Catholic Worker House, Chris Plauche, said an inspector with Code Compliance notified her about the violation last Friday.
“These crock pots are the problem,” stated Plauche.
We’re told she doesn’t have the right permit to serve food from the remodeled home on the East Side.
“We feel Jesus always looked out for the neediest and cared for the neediest,” Plauche told us.
They shut down immediately.
“For years, volunteers have served hot food to the chronically homeless,” said Plauche.
Out back, a wooden deck with plenty of seating overlooks a garden which serves as an example of how the place has grown over the years. During that time, a lot of controversy has cropped up too.
“I know they are doing a good deed, but it’s scary,” insisted Charlene Handy.
She hopes hopes the Catholic Worker House remains closed. A sign on the front door directs the homeless to other places for food. Handy is fed up with people hanging out, publicly urinating and littering.
“It’s scary having guys and even women walking up and down the street,” Handy added.
She said someone recently broke into her home, and she points a finger down the street, toward the Catholic Worker House.
Plauche is a fighter who has weathered problems before.
“Every time they’ve closed our doors, we’ve come back stronger and with more community support,” she told us.
Some homeowners believe her doors should stay open, if volunteers can do more to control problems. Homeowners said the place has raised concerns about crime and and lowered property values on the East Side.