VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia County and Daytona Beach leaders met with hundreds of residents Wednesday night to try to find a solution to the area's homeless problem.
There wasn't an empty seat in the entire hall.
The discussion involved homeless people as well as business owners.
“We are being forced to pay for and deal with a problem that other communities would just as soon ignore. And I can tell you the people in my city have had enough of that,” said Daytona Beach Commissioner Pam Woods.
Before he joined the panel, Channel 9 spoke to County Councilman Josh Wagner, after he spent the night on the street to log his own view of the situation.
“I think people are tired of just the talk. They want to see action, and that's kind of what we're trying to do,” he said.
Leaders have to decide whether to move the homeless camp out of the county building and to the nearby bus station.
“As long as we’re talking about cost here, there’s a distinct cost in doing nothing,” said Judge Belle Schumann.
Some business owners said the homeless in the area need to be moved elsewhere.
“The criminal homeless are out of control. There's no rules or laws for those people, and they affect everyone in this room trying to do good for this cause,” said Tom Myers.
While leaders didn’t reach a decision, they hope the forum was a boost to common ground.
“This is a county problem, a countywide problem and it is a human problem. We are all connected and all must participate,” said Pastor Phil Egitto.
The city now has 60 days to figure out funding for the Safe Harbor Project, to which the county has already committed $4 million.
Once funded, the shelter could open with the