City, county work out $2.5M deal for Volusia County homeless shelter

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach has set a goal of opening a homeless shelter in January.

There’s an agreement on the table between the city and the county to pay for its construction and operation.

The mayor said it has been a slow process, but leaders are one step closer to having a place 11 miles away from businesses on Beach Street for the homeless to get help and shelter.

“It's just a very bad reputation for this area,” said restaurant owner Aron Ardic.

His restaurant is not far from what was a homeless camp outside a county building for about 50 days in late 2015 and early 2016.

Ardic said even though that camp is gone, the problem is not.

“Apparently, they just keep coming back. They need to build that shelter,” he said.

It took nearly a year, but Daytona Beach and Volusia County leaders have hammered out a deal for a shelter.

City leaders will vote Wednesday on an agreement with the county to pay for what will be called First Step Shelter.

Under the agreement, the county will give the city $2.5 million to help with construction, and $400,000 for the next five years to help keep the doors open.

The city will then annex a wooded area on International Speedway Boulevard and Red John Drive for the shelter.

Daytona Beach leaders will be in charge of construction and the city will own and police the shelter.

It'll start as a place with 100 beds to help a homeless population of near 800 in Volusia County, according to Mayor Derrick Henry.

“We believe that it's a great, great first step. That's why it's called the First Step Shelter. We believe it'll put a major dent in homelessness,” he said.

The county plans to vote on the same agreement next Thursday.

The mayor said after that, the city can begin pulling permits to break ground.

Cox Media Group