Nonprofits want daytime homeless shelter

[Traveller]

Nonprofits want daytime homeless shelter
With the new Laura Street construction plans, attention is on homeless near the area.

A group of nonprofits is rallying for a daytime center for Jacksonville's homeless, a move that could help clear downtown of drifters as the city embarks on a multimillion-dollar upgrade of Laura Street.

The concept, which right now has no proposed location, price tag or money, would give the homeless better access to things like showers, telephones and the Internet. It's an effort aimed at helping the homeless and needy off the streets and into jobs.

Such a center has been discussed for years, and a temporary model proved useful when the city hosted the Super Bowl in 2005. The idea has gained more traction as City Hall embarks on downtown development plans.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-01-17/story/nonprofits_want_daytime_homeless_shelter

[samiam]

Good idea but it should be placed were there is little impact on any residential area or public park were festivals or gathering are held.

[samiam]

If the above is done not only would the homeless and Laura Street benefit but the rest of the city as well

[CS Foltz]

It would help clear up downtown for sure! I am assuming that the business's downtown would be helping fund or is this something that the City would take on?

[billy]

Weve been working on this for about two years now.

The suggestion grew out of the merchants/homeless coalition meeting sponsored by metrojacksonville with Wanda Lanier about 4 years ago.  Its crazy that time has flown this fast.

I think the plans are to locate it on the east side of downtown.

Where on the east side of downtown exactly?

[Charles Hunter]

Why not at the existing Suzbacher Center?  If they clear everyone out at dawn, why couldn't they provide services during the day - rather than building a whole new facility?

[CS Foltz]

Good question there Mr Charles! I am sure that most of the homeless persons know just where that is at and it would help clear downtown for sure!

[thelakelander]

Looking long term, a day center east of DT isn't a good idea.  That could make it difficult to revive the Cathedral and Sports Districts.  New facilites should be built in a centralized, but isolated location, like the old Dennis Street industrial district, imo.

[heights unknown]

Good idea, but not a great idea; this is just a temporary band aid remedy that's only a "day care" and not a hopeful permanent treatment or cure to attack the real problem as to why the individual is homeless.  Just a day care.

"HU"

[tufsu1]

Why not at the existing Suzbacher Center?  If they clear everyone out at dawn, why couldn't they provide services during the day - rather than building a whole new facility?

Not everyone at Sulzbacher gets kicked out at dawn....and some of the homeless people on the streets wouldn't be allowed into Sulzbacher.

But I guess they could consider expanding the facility.

[sheclown]

Looking long term, a day center east of DT isn't a good idea.  That could make it difficult to revive the Cathedral and Sports Districts.  New facilites should be built in a centralized, but isolated location, like the old Dennis Street industrial district, imo.

where's that?

[thelakelander]

Its the old industrial area just west of the I-95 viaduct over the railroad tracks near the old rail terminal.  Its bounded by McCoys Creek on the south, Stockton St to the west, Dennis Street to the north and the CSX railroad tracks to the east.  In this particular area there are blocks and blocks of vacant mid-20th century brick warehouses that are obsolete for today's typical industrial warehousing needs.  Its one of the few areas where something like this would be naturally buffered from existing residential neighborhoods, yet still centralized.

[sheclown]

If it is centralized, along bus routes, seems like a reasonable idea.

[thelakelander]

It would be within walking distance of JTA's proposed terminal near the Prime Osborn.

[CS Foltz]

Oh goody...............I bet JTA did not even take that information into account when proposing the new Transoportation Center! Maybe JTA can be persuaded to run a shuttle service huh? If they don't plan for this influx there will be a large problem!