Jean Johnson’s goal is to close Harrington Hall. But that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

The homeless shelter at the Howard Complex in Cranston has cots to sleep 120 men. It’s often not enough to meet the demand. Using mats that are spread out on the floor, Harrington Hall has accommodated as many as 155 a night.

So if the House of Hope, which operates Harrington Hall, is finding alternative and long-term housing for the homeless, why aren’t the numbers going down? Are there more homeless, and why?

Johnson, executive director of the House of Hope, says a combination of factors have affected the numbers at Harrington Hall. She told members of the Warwick Rotary Club last Thursday that other shelters have closed, increasing the pressure on Harrington Hall. But what has had a huge impact is legislation requiring registered sex offenders to live at least 1,000 feet away from a school.

While the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the state law – and a judge has ordered its enforcement be halted through at least mid-January, pending a hearing – the uncertainty of the situation has put people on the street and compromised what was once affordable housing.

“This is the only place they can come,” Johnson said.

Although residents have concerns with registered sex offenders living in their communities, Johnson said the House of Hope hasn’t had any issues with those who come here with that status. And, she added, there haven’t been any problems with sex offenders hanging around schools.

Also impacting Harrington Hall have been regulations of other shelters that restrict homeless to 30 days of shelter. After 30 days, the homeless are required to leave and can’t come back for at least another 30 days before the cycle starts again.

But Johnson does see a solution and, in her words, a means of putting the House of Hope out of business and enabling her to retire. She urged the service club that toured Harrington Hall to support a state $100 million affordable housing bond that, when leveraged with federal funds, could provide $471 million for 2,000 affordable housing units.

“That’s how were going to end homelessness, by finding homes,” she said.

Standing beside Johnson as she spoke was Lawton Parker, who has been a regular at Harrington Hall for the past five months. He is in the Harrington Hall peer mentor program, started a reading club at the shelter and has undergone lifesaving training, including instruction on the administration of Narcan, a drug that counteracts those who have overdosed.

Just recently, Parker said he and another man found a resident unconscious in a restroom. Parker said the man had ceased breathing, and there was no sign of a pulse. While his companion performed CPR, Parker administered an injection of Narcan. Within minutes, the resident was claiming he was fine, Parker said.

Parker is no stranger to drugs. He started selling them at the age of nine while living in Florida. He didn’t go into specifics, but said he was arrested on drug charges in Rhode Island and was recently released from the Adult Correctional Institution. He didn’t want to return to his way of life and ended up on the street and at Harrington Hall.

Parker told Rotary Club members he doesn’t consider himself homeless but rather houseless, because home is where the family is and this is family.

At Harrington Hall, Parker helps residents with housing applications and other paperwork. He will soon be moving to transitional housing in Providence. He hopes to get real employment and move into a place he can call his own home.

Facilitating those transitions is what Johnson and the House of Hope have brought to Harrington Hall. Formerly simply a place for men to spend the night – they must leave the shelter during the day – the House of Hope has introduced counseling and training.

House of Hope has also pushed for major renovations to the building, which was built as a recreation hall. That work is nearing completion. The building now has 17 bathrooms; it previously had two. It now has a commercial kitchen, which will enable the preparation of meals for residents and provide employment training. There will be a commercial laundry and classrooms with computers. Renovations have also included new flooring, windows and heating.

Johnson had hoped to show off the completed renovations Thursday. Saws hummed, and there was the banging of hammers as crews worked. Construction should be done around the first of the year.

Harrington Hall has undergone a transformation. Now, more than ever, Johnston is focused on finding housing for the homeless. It’s the next step.