Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/273295
all visits planned by Robert Marbut, the con- sultant hired by the city and county to make recommendations on handling homelessness in Sarasota County. Stiff's task was to look for impacts the Police Department should prepare for once a shelter opens in Sarasota. "The neighborhood around the shelter has to have a voice about how the city treats complaints," Stiff told the City Commission. "A homeless coordination center should be assembled to meet the landlords in the area. Monthly meetings would be useful. This rela- tionship should be established as soon as a site is located." Stiff admitted upfront that his observations were limited to what he observed at a shel- ter in San Antonio, TX. "We spent only a few hours at the other facilities," he said. In San Antonio, he was able to knock on neighbor- hood doors and chat with pedestrians and the clients, as well as with workers at a fast food franchise in the vicinity of the facility. "I spoke with 17 people," he told the commis- sion. "Thirteen of them were negative." He continued, "I stayed at a downtown hotel. I walked five blocks and saw 15 homeless. I judged they were homeless because they were carrying their belongings with them. I spoke with an employee in the McDonald's. He said, 'It's really bad in this area and getting worse.'" The San Antonio shelter offers two levels of "hospitality." One is a large courtyard, often housing and feeding 400 to 500 people per night. "Until you knock on the door for ser- vices, you sleep outside," said Stiff. "I talked to the manager of the courtyard, named Allen, and he said not many come from the court- yard into the center, maybe 15 to 20 percent." Social services are available only "inside the door." Other potential clients use the court- yard for shelter and sustenance; they do not receive any other assistance. Meanwhile, out- side the shelter, the San Antonio police have increased patrols, but the department did not increase overall staffing. Stiff was joined by Capt. Pat Robinson in his appearance before the commission. Robinson explained that the Sarasota department is forming "homeless outreach teams" to stay in contact with vagrants and the homeless on a daily basis. "Marbut said if we do nothing, we can see a 10 to 15 percent rise in the homeless due to returning veterans," noted Robinson. "We are concerned the opening of a shelter in north Sarasota might very well increase the number of chronically transient individuals on the street. They'll use the come-as-you- are portion [of the new center] and leave the other one" — the latter being the Salvation Army facility. Vice Mayor Willie Shaw awaits the start of the March 3 meeting. Photo by Stan Zimmerman Sarasota News Leader March 7, 2014 Page 20