Downtown Jacksonville, FL. — Crews started putting up a fence along the perimeter of the Jefferson Street ‘tent city’ in downtown Jacksonville Wednesday as the city makes moves to clear the site.
The area grew in size after word got out that the city moved 48 people into hotels February 8th (As the site grew, so did calls to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
911 calls to the site grew 400% this year compared to 2020.
“A gun shot went off by my head. There’s been plenty of fights out here; another stabbing,” Tina Prater said.
She moved to the site more than a month ago.
Now, along with more than 100 others at the site, Prater will have to move by Tuesday, March 9.
The City of Jacksonville told Action News Jax it is opening a temporary shelter for 30 days called the ‘Temporary Bridge Shelter’.
A representative could not release the exact location until it is up and running.
The overnight shelter will provide bathroom and shower facilities, food, water, and other essential items like hygiene kits.
There will also be resources available to connect individuals to employment, medical, and social services.
“Individuals can also go to local shelters, all of which have had and continue to have beds and resources.
The task force, which includes multiple shelters and the City, are dedicated to helping individuals end homelessness.
Connecting them to resources and getting them into shelters is proven to be the best way to accomplish this,” the city said in a statement.
[ RELATED LINK: Calls to JSO increase 400% at downtown Jacksonville homeless camp ]
It went on to say, “The City of Jacksonville is responsible for enforcing code violations that compromise public safety, and at this time, we have to take precautions to ensure individuals are not at risk.
In order to also ensure these individuals can take advantage of the many resources available to them, like food, water, bathrooms, shelter, storage, clothing and much more, we must relocate them to places that do not pose public health or safety risks.”
Prater fears 30 days will not be enough time to find permanent housing and many facing homelessness will just disperse from the current ‘tent city’.
“We’ll be up on the bridges and corners of streets like it used to be,” she said.
The city plans to kick everyone off the property and keep it fenced off and vacant.
A representative said anyone on site will have to seek alternate shelter.
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