Local

Daytona Beach homeless staying in hollowed-out seawalls

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Daytona Beach has had a homeless issue for years and there have been discussions about where to house them. In the meantime, Channel 9's Mike Springer has learned homeless people are staying in hollowed-out seawalls.

Some are sleeping in the seawalls by the Harvey Avenue beach approach. Some homeless people told Eyewitness News they stay there because there is nowhere else to go.

“Do you feel safe? I mean it looks a little unsturdy with the concrete falling apart. Are you worried about that at all?” Springer asked a homeless man.

“I feel good right now. Ain’t nothing happen yet,” Steve said.

Daytona Beach’s plight to find shelter for the homeless goes back two years when dozens camped out in front of a county administrative building.

The city and the county pledged $6 million to build a shelter by the jail last summer, but it's at least a year away from being finished.

The city cracked down earlier this month on a plot of land by Embry Riddle University designated as a safe zone. The homeless were told they could not use tents and could only stay there from sunset to sunrise.

Channel 9 showed pictures of the homeless staying in the seawall to code enforcement officials. An officer went to investigate and city leaders will discuss what to do next at a meeting Thursday.