Jacksonville City Council Creates $1 Million Homeless Fund, Special Committee

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA — The Jacksonville City Council voted to establish a $1 million trust fund to support the city’s growing homeless population on Tuesday. Council members voted unanimously in support of creating a “Homelessness Initiatives Special Revenue Fund.”

Additionally, Council President Ron Salem announced the creation of a special committee on homelessness and affordable housing. The committee will be tasked with creating taxpayer funded solutions for both problems over the next six months. Salem and other members of the council believe that rising housing costs are a primary cause behind an increase in homelessness. 

Over the past ten months, the city has seen an increase of roughly 900 homeless people, according to Action News Jax. There are currently an estimated 4,300 homeless people in Jacksonville – including 200 that are considered “chronically homeless” – compared to 3,400 in December 2022. 

“People that are showing up at an agency saying if something doesn’t happen today, my family is going to be homeless. It may be rent,” Salem told the outlet when asked about the issue earlier this month.

Eligible residents can receive one-time payments of $1,500 from the fund. Mayor Donna Deegan allocated nearly $8 million in her first budget for housing and homelessness programs.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

Last year, Councilman Michael Boylan spearheaded the Council’s special committee on Critical Quality of Life Issues, which sought to address the issues of homelessness, “affordable housing,” and “access to healthcare.” He contends that the committee “clearly demonstrated” that “ignoring the problem” of homelessness is actually a more expensive option for taxpayers than a city-led program to “create long-term housing.”

In August, Boylan and Councilman Jimmy Peluso co-sponsored a new bill that would pave the way for the City to install a 2 percent tax on the sale of food, beverages, or alcohol in hotels and a 1 percent tax on the sale of food, beverages, or alcohol at establishments licensed to sell alcohol. The bill did not make it out of committee. 

READ MORE: Jacksonville Republican Promotes Tax Hikes to Fund Homeless Assistance

The Critical Quality of Life committee’s report recommended the City “develop, own, and operate (non-profit) publicly owned housing.” The committee also suggested the City “provide capital for multifamily property developers to include a percentage of units as affordable housing below the fair market rate.”

The report projects the “cost to provide housing” at $13.6 million, while stating the City currently spends $25.9 million dealing with homelessness-related problems. However, the report provides no breakdown of where and how that money has been spent. 

Additionally, a 1:1 comparison of the two estimates hinges on the assumption that current costs related to homelessness would disappear with the rollout of public housing. Over half a century of government programs aimed at curbing homelessness indicates financial “support” actually exacerbates the problem because it typically enables and incentivizes irresponsibility. Conversely, deterrents can help reduce the homeless population.

The report also called for an increase in housing regulations by establishing “an Office of Tenant Advocacy” and a “Tenants Bill of Rights.” A 2022 data analysis from City Journal found that “areas with more housing regulation have seen greater growth in the homeless population.” Conversely, the outlet concluded, “lowering regulatory barriers may address housing costs and potentially the size of the homeless population.”

While financial woes undoubtedly lead to evictions that may contribute to the homeless population, money won’t help many of those who find themselves sleeping on the streets. 

California Policy Lab data from 2019 revealed that 78 percent of unsheltered homeless people had serious mental health issues. In 2020, a Los Angeles Times survey of 4,000 homeless people found that more than 3 out of 4 of them admitted to battling substance abuse – a number that was three times higher than previous estimates from city officials.

READ MORE: Miami Beach to Crack Down on Homeless Camps by Arresting People Who Refuse Help