SAN ANTONIO -- Haven for Hope helps everyone, and while registered sex offenders can't enter the program of action inside the shelter, they are allowed to stay in Prospects Courtyard.
On any given day, Prospects Courtyard has 10 to 15 registered sex offenders among the 600 people who sleep in the outdoor area.
The DPS Sex Offender Registry shows a total of 47 homeless sex offenders in San Antonio. Of them, 28 list the Haven for Hope address as their temporary home.
Everyone who goes through Prospects Courtyard gets a background check.
Evita Mendiola with Haven for Hope said a few agencies offer services in the Courtyard specifically for registered sex offenders.
"Ultimately, our job is to make sure that they're safe, that they have food to eat and a place to work on themselves so they can get stable," Mendiola said.
San Antonio police work closely with Haven for Hope. So far this month, officers have been called to the center 85 times for various issues.
Recently, police arrested two sex offenders accused of failing to register properly with authorities.
