A tent city of homeless people in downtown Fort Lauderdale is being shut down following years of complaints from businesspeople and unsuccessful efforts to clear the area.
Officials in Fort Lauderdale said Monday they want to take a humane approach to clearing out the camp, which houses around 80 people near the main library.
Broward County Mayor Beam Furr tells the SunSentinel that the goal is to "see that every resident of the current downtown Fort Lauderdale encampment is home for the holidays.
The county has teamed up with United Way, the business community, the city of Fort Lauderdale and other non-profit agencies to close the camp.
"For too long, the encampment between the library and Stranahan Park has stood as a symbol of our community's inability to adequately address the issue of homelessness. The people there live in miserable conditions," Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said in a statement Monday. "Under the initiative launched today, we are helping place them in supportive housing through a rapid-rehousing program."
Intake and assessment underway as Broward Collaborative begins holistic effort find homes and healthcare for those at encampment outside #Broward library. Even homeless #pets are being cared for. pic.twitter.com/dXVC1ttgFa
— Broward County Commission (@browardinfo) November 26, 2018
The newspaper reports officials are working with each person to determine whether they can be placed in rental or temporary housing.
