ROCHESTER, N.Y. — First Universalist Church of Rochester says it now has a 24-hour portable toilet on its property to temporarily resolve a “public problem.”
According to the church, people have been using church alcoves and gardens as toilets. The church says city public bathrooms are closed and locked at night. The church also says there has been “no movement” from the city, and the church says this seems to be “the only way” to keep its property clean.
“No one should be forced to relieve themselves in a church garden. Yet our custodian and congregation
members were cleaning up human waste because our unhoused neighbors had nowhere else to go,” said volunteer garden coordinator Adam Durand in a press release. “This toilet is a small act of dignity in response to a crisis that only the city can solve.”
First Universalist says it has been advocating for 24-hour public bathrooms since 2023, along with St. Mary’s Church and the Washington Square Community Association, Inc.
In a statement from the city, it said it has “personally met with Church representatives several times, providing suggestions and connecting them to resources to help address the challenges they have been facing.”
The city also said there are public bathrooms at Parcel 5 open from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.
Read the full statement from the city:
“The City of Rochester is surprised to learn of a press release that has been issued today by one of our partners in the community.
The City has been working closely with the team at First Unitarian Universalist Church for nearly a year. City leaders have personally met with Church representatives several times, providing suggestions and connecting them to resources to help address the challenges they have been facing. In fact, we are working with them on an event tomorrow to help provide lunches to those who need it, and regularly conduct homeless outreach with Church representatives. We believe we are partners working together.
Though the City works to help coordinate multiple partners to address the challenges of homelessness in Rochester, the City is not funded for nor is it in a position to solve our homelessness issues alone. We remain a willing partner in this effort.
As it relates to the issue of public restrooms, the City provides downtown public restroom facilities at Parcel 5 that are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.”
For Related Stories: First Universalist Church city of rochester
Comments are closed.