Homelessness plan comes into focus

Sarasota County Administrator Thomas Harmer is set to submit a report to the County Commission on homelessness Tuesday, highlighting progress in implementing recommendations submitted by nationally recognized homelessness expert Dr. Robert Marbut, whom the county commissioned to study homeless in the area last year.

Harmer’s report Tuesday will draw on a memorandum submitted March 12 by County Director of Homeless Services Wayne Applebee.

Applebee’s report outlined what concrete steps county staff have taken to integrate the recommendations Marbut unveiled last November.

According to the report, plans are moving forward to create two family emergency shelters — one for north Sarasota County and one for the south — which were recommended by Marbut as a way to mitigate the increasing population of homeless children in Sarasota County schools.

The north county shelter would be located near Tuttle and Martin Luther King Blvd., in a cluster of 11 duplex homes, which Harvest House (a Sarasota-based social service and homeless provider) currently holds an option to purchase.

In south Sarasota County, the city of North Port has identified a potential location for an emergency homeless shelter at 6919 Outreach Way.

The location for a downtown Sarasota homeless shelter, another of Marbut’s recommendations, has not yet been identified.

If you go:

Sarasota County Commisson meeting — 9 a.m., March 18, at the Sarasota County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.

Residents can call 861-5000 for more information.

Contact Nolan Peterson at [email protected]