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Residents and people with lived experience urge expanded housing, services and outreach at council meeting
Summary
Multiple speakers during public comment urged the city to increase affordable housing, coordinated services, and direct outreach to people experiencing homelessness; speakers asked for a designated staff person and use of local funding streams.
At the Feb. 12 Fond du Lac City Council meeting, several residents and people with lived experience spoke during the public-comment period about homelessness, urging increased affordable housing, more accessible mental-health and addiction services, direct outreach to people who are unhoused and a designated city staff person to coordinate responses.
Brandy (speaking through a representative, Amy) said mental health, substance abuse, high housing costs and insufficient support services make it difficult to escape homelessness and asked for “comprehensive mental health and addiction services that are more accessible.” Jacob Glenell, who identified himself as recently experiencing homelessness, said he could not attend the meeting in person because checking into the shelter would make him ineligible for a bed, and he asked the council to consider the practical barriers people face when trying to engage in civic processes: “Attending this meeting would mean sacrificing a bed to sleep in and a shelter which keeps me off of the street.”
Other speakers including Donna Richards, Joseph Schrum, Sharon Poteet, Roseanne Cole and Charlotte Trotter urged a community-based approach that pairs housing development with supportive services. Donna Richards urged the city to “take responsibility along with the county for housing in the city” and recommended a community-development approach with small homes built with volunteer and private fundraising support. Charlotte Trotter urged the council to “listen to the professionals” and review data when evaluating the scale and impact of programs.
A speaker who identified himself as Guerra asked why the city would not use $1,500,000 in opioid-related funds to address homelessness; the speaker did not identify a specific program proposal. Several speakers named local service providers and shelters (ABLCAP, St. Vincent de Paul, the Opportunity Center, warming-shelter efforts and Holy Family/St. Catherine Drexel services) as partners in any plan.
No council action was taken during the public-comment period; the mayor/president thanked speakers and the council moved on to the agenda. Several council members later noted the complexity of the issue and the need for continued community engagement.
Ending
Speakers asked the city to increase outreach, coordinate funding and create a central point of responsibility; staff and council did not announce immediate policy changes at the meeting but indicated the topic will remain on the council’s agenda for continued discussion.
