JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville City Council approved on Tuesday night more than $1 million to help house more homeless people.
It comes as the city is cracking down on the new statewide ban on public sleeping.
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As of last week, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said more than 300 people have been warned, and more than 21 people have been arrested. Officers have been citing people Monday through Friday around downtown Jacksonville.
“What I don’t want is homeless being picked up and taken straight to jail. We need to bring a compassionate approach,” Council Member Raul Arias said.
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The passage of the bill Tuesday will put $1.3 million towards adds 110 beds spread across three different downtown shelters. Trinity Rescue Mission will be the first to expand with 44 new beds.
But Arias said the bill does nothing to solve the homeless problem in the rest of the city.
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“If we’re only addressing it downtown, it’s going to push the homeless problem across the city. We have to tackle it from the outside in. Not just inside. Otherwise we will have homeless issues across the city — which we currently do,” he said.
More than $3 million total has gone towards homeless initiatives this year, including helping Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department with its program to help the homeless population.
“We are considering this as a pilot program. But in the future, I made it very clear that any other dollars that we are taking have to be given to the entire community,” Arias said.
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