Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/166173
Sarasota News Leader September 6, 2013 Page 11 during recent discussions at the County Com- The County Commission voted unanimously mission and City Commission daises. on Aug. 20 to set aside $500,000 to deal with the issue of homelessness in the area. Marbut's vision for a transformational center combines beds with services such as job train- City Commissioner Paul Caragiulo has led ing, medical and mental health assistance and the effort to allocate city funding for a public substance-abuse programs. homelessness center. Such a facility can be built from the ground up, or an existing building can be transformed into the type of space needed. A third option is to bring in portable buildings, similar to what the U.S. military does at its overseas bases. It has not been an easy task. He put the item on the agenda last month to build support from his fellow commissioners, but at that meeting, commissioners were not in a hurry to act on his request. No matter the setup, establishing and operat- Before that session, Caragiulo toured Pinellas ing the center comes at a cost. Safe Harbor. On Tuesday, Sept. 3, the City Commission voted 3-2 to set aside $500,000, including $289,000 from an already allocated Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), for a shelter. (See the related article in this issue.) Marbut said Caragiulo contacted him after attending a workshop Marbut had conducted. "[Caragiulo] called me up that night and said he wants to work with me," Marbut said. Selby Public Library in downtown Sarasota has been a common gathering place for the homeless. Photo by Norman Schimme