JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A fire that ignited Saturday at a homeless camp underneath the Interstate 95 overpass has prompted a push to reopen a homeless center.
The Action Network of Jacksonville began a campaign to persuade city leaders to reopen the Homeless Day Resource Center, which was closed in October 2015 and forced many homeless people to stay on the streets during daylight hours.
But for that to happen, more than $380,000 will have to be added to the city budget to provide daytime service to the homeless.
According to the Action Network, the center in downtown Jacksonville once served 200 homeless people a day -- providing showers, a mailing address, assessments, referrals and a place to shelter from the rain, cold and heat.
The Action Network has been asking people to sign petitions in support of the center being reopened, which would then be presented to the mayor's office before the annual city budget is approved in August.
"I think that would be a good thing," Darren Hick, who is homeless, told News4Jax on Monday. "But, truthfully, I don't think the mayor would go for it."
The homeless said they need a place to go during the day, especially after the fire that sparked Saturday afternoon at a homeless camp on Harper Street underneath I-95 caused heavy smoke and snarled traffic.
Thom Gilbert said he remembers when the Day Center used to be open.
"The homeless community could go there and be out of the heat. They had supervision. They provided a lot of services that helped the homeless community, helped them apply for food stamps, helped them apply for housing, all these other things to help them get off the street," said Gilbert, who's homeless.
Jerrylynn McDaniel, who is also homeless, said he would like to see the center reopen, but he doesn't think the city should pay for it. He said too many homeless people are asking for a handout.
"They don't give a damn. You're supposed to give a damn and earn your place, your bed," McDaniels said.
A spokesperson for the Action Network told News4Jax on Monday that they were able to get enough signatures to be presented to the mayor's office.
Fire officials said they could not determine the cause of the fire, but said it appeared to be accidental.
In a statement to News4Jax, the Florida Department of Transportation said it will be reaching out to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office "in the near future to discuss this incident and attempt to formulate a possible solution."