New day center for homeless in the works

[thelakelander]

city wants loiterers off downtown streets

By David Hunt
Despite tight budgets for nonprofit agencies, plans are inching forward to help clear out the homeless from downtown streets during the day.

Mayor John Peyton said the concept of a daytime center, designed to entice drifters from the streets and give them access to basic job-hunting tools like telephones and Internet, is a crucial component to revitalize the city’s urban core. The idea is to try to move the homeless out of sight as revitalization projects, like the taxpayer-funded upgrades of Laura Street and Metropolitan Park, take shape.

Although there is no opening date and questions linger about project costs and operational funding, those involved say they’ve nailed down a site â€" putting them ahead of previous attempts at a center that have fizzled in years past.

If the center opens, it will be on the Sulzbacher Center campus on East Adams Street downtown.

full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-09-02/story/new-day-center-homeless-works-city-wants-loiterers-downtown-streets