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Public commenters press county on sanctioned camps and IDA policy; city official outlines coordination steps
Summary
Public commenters urged the county to address unsafe conditions in the City of Ithaca's sanctioned camping area and to shift economic development incentives toward locally-owned nonprofit real-estate models; City of Ithaca representative Margaret Fabrizio described strengthened case conferencing and outreach partnerships.
Several members of the public used privilege of the floor on June 16 to press the county about homelessness response and local economic-development policy.
In public comment, Zachary Wyn said the county press release that encouraged people to use a sanctioned camping area was wrong if that area lacked facilities and was unsafe; he referenced a recent stabbing and said the county should hold the City of Ithaca accountable if the city operates an "unlicensed campground." Wyn asked legislators what steps the county could take to help people directed to the sanctioned site and urged faster action to address growth in unsheltered camping.
Andre Barbuk urged a major shift in Industrial Development Agency (IDA) policy: he said the IDA should prioritize tax incentives for locally owned nonprofit real-estate entities and put out requests for proposals for high-quality transitional supportive housing. Barbuk claimed the local IDA approvals over the past decade set in motion a cascade of public subsidies to for-profit developers and cited an estimated cumulative figure; Legislator Mike Sigler and others responded that the IDA primarily grants tax abatements (not direct cash) which typically expire after a defined period, and that the local IDA process already centers job creation and economic tradeoffs.
Margaret Fabrizio, speaking as a city representative, described steps the City of Ithaca has taken and asked for cooperation: expanded weekly Monday case conferences now include county Department of Social Services and continuum-of-care partners; city outreach partners are connecting unsheltered people to shelter and housing options; and the city and county are participating in a special committee on coordinated unhoused services to explore alternatives to the current sanctioned camping site. She acknowledged the city's need to partner with county agencies to address regional pressures and said the city is exploring revenue and operational strategies to support services.
County staff and legislators said they will continue intergovernmental coordination and scheduled further committee discussions on shelter alternatives and capital priorities. The public comments were recorded in the meeting record for follow-up.
