The Jacksonville city council last night wrestled with the elephant that is in the big room of the city..homlessness.
A packed commission room greeted 9 of the 10 aldermen as the council heard from several people.
The list included Jada Lutzke, who is trying to organize a low barrier shelter in the city to be called the Station. Duke Demott and Luke Shores, who is from the Philadelphia-Virginia area, has been ministering to the homeless here in Jacksonville. He asked that the city provide, rent free, the community park center for meals and gatherings on Sundays. No answer was given at the meeting.
Others included Alan Bradish, the now retired chaplain for the city police department, and Sue Brosmith and David Bergman from New Directions, as well as a representative from In His Service.
All agreed that first and foremost the city needs a place where the homeless can get shelter in frigid weather. Bradish says a center needs to be found soon.
Brosmith says New Directions, which now focusses on temporary housing, can handle up to 20, and there is supposed to be a 60 day limit. But, all who come must be sober and have a police background check.
Bradish says the need becomes more prominent with the start of colder weather. And, the center needs to be centrally located, preferably downtown.
Alderwomen Eren Williams chairs the special studies committee for the city council. This committee is tasked with finding at least a temporary solution.
The hurdles that a solution would need to overcome is insurance, funding, and a location, preferably close to the center of town.
Estimates of the homeless in Jacksonville range anywhere from 15 to 35. Because of the services here, several claimed last night that Jacksonville is taking in homeless from nearby counties, such as Greene, Cass, Macoupin and Montgomery counties. And, several also claimed there are some coming to Jacksonville from Springfield because it’s safer here.
The committee will meet again later this month, an hour before the council workshop session.