JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The City of Jacksonville’s leaders are coming together with community experts to improve the quality of life for residents by tackling three major issues in the community: access to healthcare, affordable housing, and homelessness.
They have come together to form a special committee, which met for the first time on Wednesday morning.
There will be one group addressing each topic. The goal of this committee is to create well-informed policies moving forward.
While all issues are interrelated, the subject of homelessness hit home for one local pastor, who showed up to make sure he can represent the needs of those who are stuck on the street.
Pastor and attorney Alvin Barlow said it was critical for him to be involved, given his work with the homeless population.
“I dedicate my life to helping these people,” he said.
It all started about two years ago, as he shared.
“I saw a bunch of homeless people on Christmas Eve in 2020, and it bothered me, it really did,” he recalled.
“So, in January of that year, I purchased $500 worth of gift cards from Winn Dixie in $20 increments and I went up to the homeless camp.”
Barlow wants the city to legally require the Downtown Investment Authority to set aside 5% of grants and forgivable loans it gives to developers to create housing for those experiencing homelessness.
“If they can give $500 million to rich people, why can’t they reserve 5% for homeless people?” he pointed out.
Barlow hopes to work closely with the group, specifically addressing homelessness. He says he’d like to actually bring in the people experiencing its challenges on a daily basis in order to better influence the policies that will be recommended.
One of the men Barlow works closely with is Kirk Cain, who has been on Jacksonville’s streets for the past four years.
“It was pretty cool how he looked out for us,” Cain pointed out.
“My income won’t cover a place to stay,” he emphasized, saying that his only source of income at the moment is Social Security.
All three groups that make up the committee will gather research and data over the next four months, and present a final report to City Council in early December.
Cain says he’s looking forward to chiming in during these meetings and helping influence change.
“Awareness and different outlook,” he said of what he hopes to bring to the table. “[Homelessness] is a long-standing, stagnant situation going on. We need to do something.”
To learn more about the City of Jacksonville’s Special Committee focused on improving the quality of life, you can visit the city’s website HERE.
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