Youth commissioners urge DeKalb to pilot expanded mobile showers, committee endorses exploration

Charlei Dennis and Jabari Burgess of the DeKalb County Youth Commission asked the Finance, Audit and Budget (FAB) Committee to support an expansion of mobile shower, laundry and barber services to reach unhoused residents in areas with limited access to hygiene facilities.

The presentation described a pilot program the youth commissioners say would run four days a week at rotating sites and include partnerships with nonprofits such as Flowing with Blessings and frontline service providers. The students provided rough operating-cost estimates: approximately $96,000 for a six‑month pilot offering mobile showers four days per week; $144,000 to add a laundry bus; and $168,000 to include a mobile barbershop.

"We're not asking to solve homelessness overnight," Charlei Dennis said. "What we are asking for is a practical evidence‑based step that restores dignity, improves public health, and connects people to services that already exist but aren't always accessible." Jabari Burgess noted the teams conducted local surveys and provider visits and reported broad community support.

Why it matters: County staff and commissioners flagged the proposal as a low‑cost, high‑touch way to improve hygiene access, public health and workforce re‑entry for people experiencing homelessness. Commissioners discussed extending a six‑month pilot to a longer period if successful and asked staff to consider site accessibility for people with disabilities.

Funding and next steps: Zach from the CEO's office and Dr. Ferguson said the housing trust fund and other county housing resources are appropriate funding sources and that the concept should be incorporated into the county's housing strategy. Chair Commissioner Ted Terry opened the floor for a motion; Commissioner Shakira Johnson moved that staff explore vendors and coordinate the program with municipalities and nonprofits and to incorporate the concept into the housing strategy. Commissioner Michelle Long Spears seconded and the motion carried unanimously.

What to watch for: Staff agreed to coordinate partnerships, consider rotating locations suggested by providers (including Saint Vincent/Chamblee, Pernashaw Park in Dunwoody, Harrison Crossing Library in Stone Mountain, Decatur and Lithonia), and to include accessibility for people with disabilities. Commissioners asked staff to consider whether the pilot should be extended to 12 months and to return updates as the program develops.