Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/336863
After more than four hours of public com- ments and often contentious discussion on Monday, June 23, the City and County com- missions are no closer to deciding where and when to build a proposed homeless shelter. Nor have they resolved how to pay for one. Three shelter sites were shot down during the course of the boards' joint meeting. The top two locations were rejected because of high projected facility costs — $8.9 million at the 1800 N. East Ave. parcel and $9.2 million at the city-owned property on 1330 N. Osprey Ave. A third, less expensive option, the site of Harvest Tabernacle Church on North Lime Avenue, proved to be less than ideal for the city commissioners. Earlier this month, they unanimously voted down a proposal to add the site to the list for consideration because it is in a section of the city targeted for redevelopment. The majorities on both boards, however, said they do not want to abandon the concept of a come-as-you-are facility for chronic Homeless people gather on Central Avenue in the Rosemary District on the morning of June 25. Photo by Norman Schimmel A SITE SEARCH, AGAIN THE PROSPECT OF BUILDING A COMMUNITY HOMELESS SHELTER APPEARS MURKIER THAN EVER, THOUGH THERE MIGHT BE A SILVER LINING IN THE LATEST TURN OF EVENTS We didn't tell [consultant Robert Marbut] to pick those two sites, and we didn't pick those problems. Tom Barwin City Manager City of Sarasota By Roger Drouin County Editor