COVINGTON — A plan for a service center for Covington's homeless is moving forward while drawing fire.

        Covington City Commission voted 3-2 last week to approve a “homes for adjustment” zone that would allow Corporex chairman Bill Butler to build the Life Learning Center at the former Robke Chevrolet site on Willow Run.

        The center, seven years in the planning and publicly proposed in 2000, would include temporary shelter, medical care, mental-health counseling, job assistance and spiritual support.

        “I think Covington has its fair share of social agen cies,” said Commissioner Jerry Bamberger, who voted against the resolution. “Should we become the social services capital of the world? I don't want that.”

        The Robke site, near Interstate 75, is the second site proposed for the center, which Mr. Butler envisions as teaching life skills to disadvantaged and displaced people.

        Mr. Butler originally wanted to build the center on property he owns at Eighth and Washington streets, but the city has moved to preserve a parking lot on that site through eminent domain. The parking lot has also been suggested as a site for the new Kenton County jail.

        Mr. Butler was not available for comment Monday.

        The question dividing commissioners and social service advocates is whether Covington needs another homeless center.

        Steve Bode, pastor at the Storehouse Ministries in Covington, said agencies are overwhelmed and need another service to help.

        Mr. Bode said Storehouse, which is funded privately, requires people to join a nine-month program to become self-sufficient. He said two other services in Covington — Welcome House and Fairhaven Rescue Mission — provide similar programs but are often full.

        Numerous soup kitchens and counseling and job services exist, but more integrated programs like the proposed Life Learning Center are needed, he added.

        Some city officials, however, think the established services can handle homelessness in Covington. With advocates estimating about 3,000 homeless, they say the city has nearly the equivalent of cities the size of Lakeside Park (2,800) or Wilder (2,600) living on the streets.

        “I don't think it's a huge problem in the city of Covington,” said Mayor Butch Callery, who voted for the resolution.

        Opponents of the project, commissioners Bamberger and Alex Edmondson, said Covington al ready has its fair share of social service agencies because of a federal community block grant it receives every year.

        Covington was identified as one of the most distressed cities in America in the late 1970s, so it automatically receives between $2 and $2.5 million each year for improvements. Up to 15 percent of the money can be used for social services, Mr. Callery said.

        Mr. Edmondson said social service agencies began migrating to Covington because of the guaranteed funding.

        “I am against creating or trying to have a Band-Aid to fix a problem,” the first-term commissioner said. “Social services have continued to grow, but they have not done anything to put people back into the community.”

        Mr. Bamberger said his main reason for opposition is that no other city in Kentucky has a zoning amendment for “homes for adjustment,” like the one Covington commission voted to approve.

        The phrase was coined to allow a center to provide housing and a variety of health, spiritual and educational services.

        “With this legislation, we open ourselves up to who knows what,” he said. “I think we could have done (the center) with current zoning laws.”

        The approved resolution must go through the Kenton County and Municipal Planning and Zoning Commission and at least two public hearings before final approval.

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