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Speakers at council meeting urge changes to local homelessness services and case management
Summary
Two public commenters at the Sept. 16 Ocala City Council meeting described personal experience with homelessness and urged changes to local service providers, including case management and locations of soup kitchens and shelters.
During the public comment portion of the Ocala City Council meeting on Sept. 16, two speakers addressed homelessness services and case management in Marion County, urging the city to change how some services are delivered and to connect speakers with housing-case managers.
Jason Tolbert, who identified himself as currently unhoused and the owner of a registered service dog, said he had been removed from the Office of Homeless Prevention list after staff told him they require verifiable income. Tolbert said he has health issues that prevent outdoor work and described a series of barriers he said prevented him from accessing housing aid. He urged the city and local providers to require accountability for people who receive services and criticized what he characterized as unmanaged congregations of unhoused people in downtown areas; he also suggested moving some services to the outskirts of town. Tolbert said he had undertaken his own research on vulnerability scoring and permanent supportive housing models and asked city officials to help him navigate available resources.
Lindsey Tillery spoke after Tolbert and said she shared similar concerns, thanking Tolbert for raising them.
Council president Lauren Dreyer invited Tolbert to connect with city staff; Mayor Ben Marciano and staff indicated a city staff member (Robin Ford) would follow up to discuss service referrals and next steps. The council did not take formal action on the public-comment items; mayor and staff offered to connect the speakers with the Office of Homeless Prevention and other local resources.
Why it matters: Public comment highlighted perceived gaps in case management and intake practices for people seeking housing services. The speakers requested changes to how providers manage congregations and case-loads, and asked the city for more hands-on assistance in navigating housing supports.
Sources: Public comments delivered at Ocala City Council meeting, Sept. 16, 2025, by Jason Tolbert and Lindsey Tillery; staff and mayor remarks offering a follow-up referral.
