AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Commissioners are preparing to hear from the task force on its recommendations to get hundreds off the street and into housing, but what role will a new shelter play in these discussions?
For the homeless task force, the priority is finding places to live, though finding a place to stay is also on the table.
“Were also talking about some permanent supportive housing if we have an opportunity to build permanent housing why not, but certainly a shelter is certainly something we’ve have been having a conversation about,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson who chairs the task force.
A homeless shelter will be part of the conversation because last year commissioners approved using two point two million dollars in federal funds to build one leading to important questions.
“And I know they will give us some information up from so we can make an informed decision, about where we want to put the shelter how to run the shelter,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Bobby Williams.
They approved the money for that, but we did not approve anything else for that, so we got to hear about it say where It’s going to be who is going to run it what have you,” said Commissioner John Clarke.
Though a shelter is only a part of the homeless task force recommendations some commissioners are concerned it could increase the homeless population.
“We don’t want to be the hub of Georgia, where everybody is coming off the interstate and saying hey let’s go to Augusta,” said Commissioner Catherine Smith McKnight.
The concept commissioners approved last year was for a shelter to house families, not just individuals, now some commissioners saying an overnight shelter is not the priority.
“Definitely needed is a day shelter, we don’t need the Salvation Army is not full every night so, we need a day shelter to hold the people accountable to have job skill training that sort of thing,” says Commissioner Sean Frantom.
The task force will be sitting down with commissioners to present the recommendations next Thursday.
