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Palatka leaders call for countywide stakeholders to craft shelter plan after testing several options
Summary
After a multi-hour discussion of potential sites, retrofit costs and a mobile bus option, Palatka commissioners voted to convene county, school and community partners to develop a sustainable, countywide shelter strategy and explore interim cooling/cold-weather options.
The Palatka City Commission on April 23 directed staff to convene county, school-district and community stakeholders to develop a coordinated plan for addressing homelessness, after reviewing several local options and retrofit cost estimates.
Staff reported multiple possible locations including the Willard Cooper building (vacant portion), Price Martin Community Center and Port Consolidated; a rough cost estimate cited in the staff report for bringing the Cooper building to code was about $130,000 (sprinkler and alarm work among the items listed). Staff also described a mobile option presented at a recent conference: a retrofitted 20‑bed bus that could be moved to different parking areas and configured with a driver and security guard; an estimated conversion cost was about $175,000.
Commissioners emphasized two consistent requirements: (1) wraparound services tied to daytime case management, and (2) countywide financial and programmatic buy-in to ensure long-term sustainability. Multiple commissioners said the city cannot and should not be the sole funder or operator of a 24‑hour shelter and that partner agencies and the county must take part in a durable solution.
Public commenters included representatives of local churches and social-service volunteers who urged immediate action and partnership. Concerns were also raised about locating shelter services adjacent to schools, parks or dense residential neighborhoods — several speakers urged siting in commercial or industrial zones where impacts on children and nearby residences would be minimized.
The commission approved a motion to: convene stakeholders, direct staff to contact Putnam County about commitments and funding, and pursue interim options (including continuing the cold-weather shelter model and exploring the mobile bus idea). Staff were asked to return with a timeline and a list of potential funding sources, including ARPA allocations previously discussed at the meeting.
