Tracy Sanchez knew it might not be a popular idea, giving homeless people who were drunk or high or mentally ill a place to stay at night.

If people were drunk or high or not getting treatment, that was their choice, some have argued. If they’re homeless as a result, that’s their choice, too.

It’s not a choice Sanchez could live with.

“Some people feel like it condones the behavior. Some people think that we’re enabling them,” said Sanchez, CEO and founder of First Step Services Inc.

“I’m not enabling them, but I’m saying it’s OK to come to a warm place. Let’s face it: if they’re going to get drunk, I don’t want them outside freezing to death.”

And so the nightly “Wet Shelter” opened Nov. 1 at First Step 1017 63rd Street in Kenosha. As Thanksgiving approached, 45 people had come to the shelter.

Without it, Sanchez said, they probably would have slept on the street.

Fills a local need

The Wet Shelter was formed to meet the needs of those who could not get into the Interfaith Nightly Network Shelters (INNS), which houses about 30 people each night.

The program does good work, Sanchez said. But, like all social service providers, it has limitations.

Each night, volunteers recreate a shelter in one of seven different places, often a local church willing to offer the space.

People typically can spend 30 days in shelter. When that time is up, they can’t return for six months.

Priority is given to children and families.

And if you want to stay at INNS, you can’t be drunk and you can’t act out, which often eliminates anyone with an addiction or mental illness.

It was with those facts in mind that homeless service providers like First Step Services, INNS, the Shalom Center and Walking In My Shoes formed Strengthening Humanity, a local network working to fill the “huge need” for those who don’t qualify for the INNS nightly shelter program, Sanchez said.

“We found there was a great deal of people who could not qualify for INNS,” Sanchez said. “We found there was a need to start a network with all the agencies. There were several gaps, and we didn’t want to duplicate services.”

Nearly a 24-hour site

Since then, First Step has transformed from a day shelter to a nearly 24-hour center for homeless people; the center is closed from 4 to 7 p.m. each day, usually the time people migrate to the Shalom Center soup kitchen for the evening meal.

At 7:30 p.m., the Wet Shelter opens.

It might be a safe, warm place. But it’s not your typical homeless shelter.

Technically, you can’t sleep there. There are no cots. No pillows.

But if someone put her head on a table and shut her eyes, Sanchez said workers wouldn’t wake her. They would probably even put a blanket around her shoulders.

For those who try to stay awake, there are board games, coffee, tea and hot soup. There is one television and a small couch.

A Bible group is expected to start visiting the shelter. The shelter also is working with Club Breakaway, a local alcohol and drug recovery group.

Smoking breaks are regulated: 9 p.m. 12 a.m. and 3 a.m. ONLY, a sign says.

“It is structured,” Sanchez said. “There are rules you have to follow. It isn’t a flophouse. We just want to see people receive help. Regardless of your state, your mind, we care.”

Saves police time

Sanchez hopes that people learn to accept, even appreciate and support, the Wet Shelter.

“We’re doing it so our homeless have a safe haven at night. But this is a safe haven for the homeless and the community,” Sanchez said.

Instead of committing crimes or clogging emergency rooms, people have somewhere to go.

“It frees up police time because instead of waiting for booking, waiting for the hospital, they can bring them here. They’re safe. You’re safe. Everyone is safe,” Sanchez said.

“If we did not have the INNs or the Wet Shelter, we would have chaos. Where would they go? We have so many people. Have you asked yourself what you would do? A lot of people need to ask themselves that question,” Sanchez said.