The county commissioners voted to move
forward with work on both parcels.
Challenges remain, though. A report released
last month detailed contamination issues and
other logistical challenges at the two sites —
the lot at 1800 N. East Ave. and the city-owned
property at 1330 N. Osprey Ave.
CHARGES OF MISINTERPRETATION
Barbetta also had a message Tuesday for some
elected city officials and city administrators,
whom county commissioners recently accused
of hindering the shelter site selection process.
"I don't think giving up is an option, and the
city has to step up on this," he said.
In the latest wrinkle, at the beginning of this
month, City Manager Tom Barwin and the
city's Independent Police Advisory Panel, dis-
tributed a report from Pinellas Safe Harbor,
a homeless shelter in Clearwater seen as
a model for a Sarasota facility. The report
contained statistics that opponents of a down-
town Sarasota facility have pointed to, saying
they show the Pinellas shelter does not help
homeless people get off the streets.
Consulting firm Cardno created a graphic to show how a homeless shelter could be placed on the North
Osprey Avenue site. Image courtesy Sarasota County
Sarasota News Leader May 9, 2014 Page 50
