Domestic violence shelter approved in Altavista

Citing an overwhelming need, Altavista town council approved a domestic violence shelter Tuesday to be tucked in a downtown residential neighborhood.

The 5-2 vote came after a lengthy and sometimes emotional public hearing, where current and former town residents and others experienced with other area shelters told council why such a facility is important.

“There’s an overwhelming need in this community for this service and I think it will turn out to be a great service,” said councilwoman Beverley Dalton. “It does fit in the core values of the community.”

Frannie’s House, which will be a safe-house type shelter, will be operated by Lynchburg’s YWCA. It will have three bedrooms and hold no more than eight women and children combined at one time.

The YWCA last year served 537 victims from Campbell County, including 170 from Altavista, said Caroline Hudson, executive director of the YWCA and a Campbell County resident. A shelter in Altavista would “eliminate another barrier for a woman to leave a dangerous home.”

Currently, domestic violence victims must go to safehouse shelters in Lynchburg or Bedford for assistance, Hudson said.

Holly Yates, who owns property in the neighborhood, was one of nearly two dozen speakers who told council they supported the measure. “I think the shelter’s presence could help, not hurt, the peace and security of the neighborhood,” Yates said.

Two citizens, who live next door to the shelter, spoke against the request, saying they weren’t against having a shelter in town, but the neighborhood was inappropriate.

Mary Humphries told council that property values of the immediate neighborhood will go down and because the YWCA is paying more than the current tax appraisal, neighboring property taxes will increase. Additionally, she said she was concerned that having a shelter could increase violence and crime in the neighborhood.

Councilman Mike Mattox said he felt the shelter was a good idea for the county, but not in a high-density residential neighborhood. “You have 30-day transients,” he said. “It’s not fair to these … residents, for them to deal with this.”