City, county at odds over how to fix homeless problem in Daytona Beach

Homeless people in Daytona Beach are refusing to leave a government building that county leaders were forced to shut down and one county commissioner thinks he has a solution .

Seventeen of the homeless people took the city’s offer to go to the Salvation Army, where 46 beds were available for a temporary shelter Monday as part of a deal with the city.

But dozens of the homeless people chose to stay camped out in front of the county administration building on Beach Street until something is done to give them a permanent place to seek shelter. It's been 41 days since the camp reached crisis level.

The property appraiser shut down the building after he said one of his employees was accosted outside by a homeless person.

The county is in the process of shutting down the rest of the offices inside the administration building because if one closes, they all have to.

“I think the incident was blown out of proportion,” said Volusia County Commissioner Joshua Wagner.

The only way to solve the issue, Wagner said, is to give the homeless somewhere to go that’s permanent.

“I don’t know what we are going to do. To me, it’s simply something we can get done tomorrow,” said Wagner.

The commissioner said there is money for a second shelter. He thinks relocating the people to an area on North Street is the best idea.

City officials told Wagner that they don't want a tent city anywhere in their city.

The city could use the Community Redevelopment Area money and eventually could have a permanent shelter, Wagner said.

The city and the county are now at odds about what to do next.

“The city has taken an initiative and I can’t say the same for anybody else,” said Daytona Beach City Manager James Chisolm.

The Daytona Beach mayor said it’s not that easy of a fix, but he doesn’t see the homeless people camping out for much longer.

“In all likelihood, we will compel them to recognize our statutes if we have a place for them to go,” said Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry.

City and county leaders said they don’t want to trespass the homeless, but if there is a place for them to go, like the Salvation Army’s shelter, that’s where they should move.

Ted Smith, 80, has been homeless for a couple of months and said he doesn't want to stay at the Salvation Army. He said a place with a tent for everybody and three meals a day would be nice.

The mayor has proposed that county and city leaders meet next Friday about the homeless problem.

Cox Media Group