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Stonecrest council asks staff for 60-day plan and legal analysis on unhoused response
Summary
Council added an item to discuss a rising unhoused population and asked the city manager, legal and code enforcement to research a citywide task force, review local nuisance/urban-camping code, evaluate two Panola Road properties for violations, expand the city's 'Help for the Homeless' web resources and prepare a briefing on HB 295.
Councilmember Terry Fye opened an added agenda item on homelessness and the unhoused, saying the council had seen an "uptick" in unhoused individuals and wanted a coordinated city response. He asked the city manager, legal department and code enforcement for a set of deliverables within 60 days: recommendations for a citywide homelessness task force, notification to property owners at 2710 and 2911 Panola Road about conditions on their properties, and an investigation into whether 2911 Panola Road violates the city's public-nuisance or urban-camping ordinance.
City manager Scruggs described current steps the city has taken: Stonecrest posts a "Help for the Homeless" page under Home & Community that links to DeKalb County resources, and code-enforcement officers carry contact information and outreach details when they encounter encampments or unsheltered people. Scruggs also said the city is relying on county programs and encouraged regional collaboration: "We need to make it a regional, at least a local, countywide effort to make sure that we address it in a manner that won't just push the problem to a neighboring community," she said.
Fye also asked legal counsel for an analysis of HB 295 and for a review of code section 16-27 (urban camping prohibition) and how comparable ordinances are enforced across Georgia. He requested a local directory of community organizations and services to be posted to the city's Help for the Homeless page and a resource packet to be carried in all city vehicles so employees can hand it out when they encounter people who need assistance.
Council members emphasized balancing speed and caution. Councilwoman Tammy Grimes and Mayor Pro Tem George Turner urged an action plan but stressed the need for legal review to avoid overreach and to coordinate with DeKalb County and neighboring jurisdictions. Councilwoman Alicia Washington highlighted practical barriers for outreach, noting many unhoused people do not have phones and that responses must be designed with that constraint in mind.
Ending: Staff committed to research and return to council within 60 days with legal analysis, task-force recommendations and an operational plan for outreach and enforcement options; council emphasized regional coordination and sensitivity to residents' needs.
