DeLand, FL-Amid the tug of war over what to do about the homeless now camped out outside the county building on North Beach Street in Daytona Beach, Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen will roll out a proposal for a temporary plan at Thursday’s Volusia County Council meeting and then recommend a delay in implementing it. This comes after council, during its last meeting, gave Daytona Beach 60 days to come up with a solution or lose county support for the Safe Haven plan. Earlier reporting on that here. The manager’s agenda item recommends delaying any action to give the City of Daytona Beach a chance to address the situation.
Groups of homeless began camping out outside the county building on North Beach Street after the city closed restrooms in public parks downtown.
The agenda item rules out using the Votran transfer station temporarily due to lack of space, insufficient services, disruption of bus services and safety concerns over buses coming and going from the station. The transfer station as a temporary solution had been discussed during the previous council meeting.
Instead, the agenda item calls for the county to lease or purchase vacant property across the street from the Homeless Center on North Street in Daytona Beach. The county would fence the site and provide “a tent for shelter” and portable bathrooms. Halifax Urban Ministries would oversee the facility which would be across the street from the Direct Service Center. The agenda item says local churches provide dinner two nights a week and that could be expanded to seven nights if needed.
The manager’s agenda item says there is a medical clinic run by Halifax Health and mental health services provided by Stewart Marchman/ACT. The current services also include showers, a laundry, bathrooms and computers.
The county manager is recommending a delay on this proposal as Daytona Beach works with the Salvation Army on a solution.
North Street map from VCC agenda
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