A shelter for homeless women and children in Rapid City has six months to prove its residents won't be a bother to their soon-to-be new neighbors.

An exact date isn't set, but the Cornerstone Rescue Mission will be moving its women and children's home from the current Columbus Street location just southwest of downtown Rapid City to a larger building at 301 Fox Run Drive along Fifth Street on the south side of town.

The home serves as transitional housing for homeless mothers some of whom are court-ordered to live there and offers safe but temporary shelter as they work, find jobs or study new career paths and ultimately establish permanent homes elsewhere.

"These are folks who are just trying to move on with their life," Cornerstone Rescue Foundation President Jim Castleberry said.

Relocating the home, however, has not gone unnoticed by its new neighbors, with 133 residents living near the new location having signed a petition against the facility's operating in the midst of their neighborhood. The Rapid City Council recently approved the move with a unanimous vote.

Given the protest, however, the council's vote also imposed a six-month trial period for the new location among other stipulations meant to make the facility less intrusive on the surrounding community.

After six months, the city's Planning Commission on May 7, 2015, is expected to review the home's operations and whether neighborhood concerns have persisted.

Since a move-in date hasn't been established, a second trial period may also be granted to give the home a full six months of operations, according to the city's Community Planning and Development Services Department.

Meanwhile, Cornerstone Rescue Mission will wait for Regional Health, the current tenant at 301 Fox Run Drive, to relocate its medical-supply facility, Castleberry said.

Once the building is vacant, he said, the organization will begin remodeling it to fit its needs. "So, it will be a while yet," Castleberry said.

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Women, children's home has six months at new location

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