The Salvation Army Moves Ahead with Youth Home Plans

    December 12, 2012 - The Salvation Army is moving forward with plans to open a youth home for teenage girls who don't have a supportive home situation.

    The Erie Zoning Hearing Board approved a variance change for a house located at 823 West 10th Street.

    Major Les Walter from the Salvation Army wants to open a home where junior and senior girls in high school can live.

    The zoning hearing board approved the variance by a 3 to 2 vote.

    Now, Walter says he needs final approval from the Salvation Army divisional headquarters.

    The house would be home to eight to ten girls to start off with.

    Walter says the shelter would be open to girls who have a troubled home life, who attend school and are good students.

    The home would cost the Salvation Army around $250,000 a year to operate.

"The statistics say that girls in this situation are averaging a 3.0 GPA," Major Walter said. "We're not talking about young people who don't want to go to school or people who are skipping classes. We really want to give a foundation where they can get through school and graduate."

    Walter said that neighbors welcomed this idea with open arms.

    There is no set timeline for the project, but Walter wants it to be up and running as soon as possible.