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Debate over 17-acre homeless-shelter lease exposes split on county role; proposal would host pods and family area
Summary
Commissioners debated a proposal to lease 17 acres between the jail and juvenile detention center to a nonprofit to operate a homeless shelter modeled on Catholic Charities/Daystar programs. Supporters said the model includes pod housing and case management; opponents warned it could draw outside demand and urged alternatives like Housing First.
A proposal to lease about 17 acres of county-owned property to a nonprofit to host a homeless shelter drew divided views from Citrus County commissioners during the strategic planning retreat.
Commissioner Davis described a plan to grant a 50-year lease to Catholic Charities and Daystar to operate a campus-style facility with gated family sections and lockable sleeping pods, saying the model pairs shelter beds with case management, life skills training and rapid rehousing goals. "They have a family section...everything would be fenced...there's only intake one time a week," Davis said, describing features she witnessed in other counties that use the Catholic Charities model.
Davis and a supporter said the location — land between the county jail and the juvenile detention center — was remote of the type that typically draws neighborhood resistance and could house families in a controlled campus setting rather than tents.
Commissioner Finnegan strongly opposed leasing the 17 acres for that purpose, saying such a facility could attract people from outside the county and create additional service demands. "I feel terrible for your friend," Finnegan said in a broader comment about homelessness, but she added she would "cut bait" on the lease idea because "that is a community asset for the people of Citrus County and I think there are some very important uses for that."
Several commissioners and staff said they want to exhaust partnerships with local nonprofits and existing capacity first and urged careful vetting of any plan. The board discussed the difference between a regional evacuation shelter (a separate emergency facility) and a year-round homeless shelter and noted the county should avoid unilateral operation of a shelter if community nonprofit partners are better positioned to manage it.
Other discussion touched on homeless services models: commissioners referenced Housing First and rapid rehousing programs for families as priorities; some pointed to the county's cold-weather shelter, which has seen nightly counts in the 40s and low 50s, as evidence of need for family-targeted services. Commissioner Davis proposed inviting Catholic Charities/Daystar to give a presentation to the board and said the nonprofit indicated willingness to include a family section if a site were available.
Board members agreed the issue needs more analysis and suggested staff coordinate with nonprofit partners, the sheriff and county housing staff before making property or lease decisions.
