After pleas from residents for a final decision, the Gainesville City Commission narrowed down its choices for a new location for the city's one-stop homeless center.
Commissioners chose their top three locations out of nine options at a meeting Tuesday night.
The current location for the center, which was first proposed in 2005, is being leased at 3335 N. Main Terrace, which has been established as an inadequate location.
The one-stop homeless center, known as the GRACE Marketplace, is part of the city's 10-year plan to end homelessness. It would be a place for the homeless to receive counseling and job training along with meals, education, showers and bathrooms, telephones, a laundry facility and some medical services.
The three possible locations remaining are sites on Northwest 53rd Avenue, off Northeast Waldo Road and on Southwest 63rd Boulevard.
Commissioners discussed the 53rd Avenue site in the most depth after Amber Roberts-Crawford, the owner of the site, brought new information to the meeting.
Roberts-Crawford said the site offers natural buffers - wetlands - and more than seven acres of buildable land.
Jon DeCarmine, executive director of Gainesville/Alachua County Office on Homelessness, said he would support the site because of the ability to establish overnight shelter on the land.
"We need housing that's affordable," DeCarmine said.
However, its distance from the downtown area was a source of contention for some of the center's supporters.
"I really think that this idea of putting people at a great distance sends a message," said Rob Brinkman, chairman of the Suwannee-St. Johns Group of the Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Brinkman said that a facility placed so far away from the center of town will be a failure and a waste of money.
Others were concerned that close neighbors wouldn't appreciate having the site nearby.
Commissioner Scherwin Henry said he had concerns about the site on Southwest 63rd Boulevard for that reason.
"There is mention of possible homes around the area," Henry said. "This brought to my mind that might be off-limits."
Commissioner Jeanna Mastrodicasa said it was important to her for the commission to follow through with plans for the shelter.
"I want to make sure it works," Mastrodicasa said. "I really want to move forward on this."
Alachua County Commission Chairman Rodney Long, who spoke at the meeting, said he agreed.
"The one-stop center is two years behind," Long said.
"My plea to you tonight is that you have to make a decision."
