Mike Narver

[April 27th, 2005] Mike Narver is a Christian who thinks we have a duty to look after society's less fortunate. But what earns him Rogue status is his lack of patience with the homeless outreach ministry renting space on his property. On Valentine's Day, he walked into the storefront at 323 NW 6th Ave. and told his tenants, Our Peaceful Place, to get out by May 1.

Apparently, clients (and their shopping carts and dogs) had been gathering on the sidewalk waiting to get inside-annoying artists in nerby galleries.

Our Peaceful Place moved from Northwest 3rd Avenue last November. Even though the 8-year-old nonprofit only had a month-to-month lease, director Barb Lescher had hopes of staying for a long time. But she quickly realized trouble might arise with the Everett Station Lofts, a neighboring complex of galleries and apartments for working artists. Nonetheless, Lescher thought the ministry would actually keep the homeless off the streets, and away from budding business.

"They believe that our clients are the reason that they haven't been able to sell their art," says Lescher, who took over the nonprofit after its founder, Sister Maria Francis Waugh, died in a car accident two years ago. "But the people who complain benefit, because those very same people that they don't want in front of their doors are in here."

Narver's response, echoed by gallery owners: "We can't have groups of people just loitering outside."

Our Peaceful Place is more of a living room than a shelter or a social-service agency. Its basic offerings for about 100 people a day are a room with more than a dozen comfy couches, hot coffee, a telephone and a bathroom.

While a storage company has offered a temporary home for the couches, Lescher is seeking a new spot for the people who would like to use them.