Daytona Beach police dismantle homeless camp outside county building

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A homeless camp outside the Volusia County Administration building was dismantled Friday night, 44 days after dozens of homeless people gathered outside the property.

Daytona Beach leaders met Friday to come up with a plan to address the ongoing crisis.

Nearly 100 beds were set up for the homeless people, who were demanding city leaders set up a permanent shelter.

At about 6 p.m. Friday, police started to tell the campers that they may move into the shelter where the beds are, and their belongings could be put into a storage unit set up by the city.

Police arrested at least one of homeless people who wouldn't accept the offer, but by late Friday night, all the campers cleared out of the area.

An ordinance wouldn’t allow police to arrest and trespass the campers until the city provided shelter.

Police Chief Mike Chitwood said something had to be done quickly because of the crime that was going on at night.

“We are going to release (video footage) next week of the criminal (activity) that occurs when the sun goes down of assaults being perpetrated,” he said. “Free-flowing drugs, alcohol and prostitution it just has become. Last night, we made seven arrests.”

Channel 9’s Blaine Tolison wasn’t allowed into the Salvation Army, where leaders met to discuss their next steps earlier in the day.

City Manager Jim Chisholm told Tolison he and other leaders were “working on things” when Tolison tried to question him after the meeting.

Commissioner Pam Woods has been working on a solution behind the scenes.

She said the meeting with the Salvation Army included the Halifax Medical Center, the local housing authority and other agencies that help the homeless.

She said the city has struggled to get beds for people in the growing homeless camp.

The city and county butted heads for weeks and had failed to come up with any solution until Friday.

“They’re doing it behind doors and I applaud them for doing it, but the assistance is not coming expeditiously and these people need help,” said community activist Norma Bland.

Cox Media Group