Commissioners to continue discussion of homelessness in the city

Apr. 5—The Brunswick City Commission will hear from the public tonight on their issues with "nuisance properties."

While city government has not officially targeted The Well, a daytime hospitality center for the homeless, officials have pointed the finger at the facility as a driving force behind issues surrounding homelessness in the city.

At the commission's last meeting, Brunswick Police Chief Kevin Jones ran down a litany of issues springing from homelessness during a panel discussion. The department answered 524 calls to The Well in 2022 and 123 this year as of March 15.

City residents who sign up in advance will be given a chance to share their testimony at the meeting at 5 p.m. today, said City Manager Regina McDuffie. It will not be a back-and-forth discussion with commissioners, however.

The meeting will take place in Old City Hall, 1229 Newcastle St. in Brunswick. It will be broadcast live at facebook.com/citybwkga.

Police have attributed four violent incidents to homeless people in the past five weeks. On Monday, a man was robbed and cut with a machete during an attack by two homeless men at a street corner next to The Well. On March 29, Sean Williams, another homeless man, was apprehended at The Well — where police say he received mail — after stabbing another man for his bike.

Before that, on March 26, Troy Rogers III, another homeless man, is alleged to have invaded a home in the 1700 block of Albany Street and sexually assaulted a minor.

On Feb. 27, a homeless man named Nathan Cook is alleged to have stabbed a local storeowner in the neck outside his establishment. The Rev. Wright Culpepper, director of FaithWorks, which operates The Well, says Cook had not been seen at The Well for years prior to the incident.

A common refrain among city officials is that The Well and services like it — soup kitchen Manna House and the Salvation Army overnight shelter — are attracting homeless people to the area either of their own volition or because of law enforcement agencies from other jurisdictions dropping them off.

"People are going to come where the services are offered. My question is, why do all the services have to be offered in the city?" City Commission Felicia Harris asked at the commission's last meeting.

No solutions were offered that night.

Also at today's meeting, commissioners will consider extending a moratorium on homeless shelters in the city and hear the first reading of an ordinance restricting homeless shelters and services. They will not vote on whether to adopt the ordinance today.

Homelessness services are "vital to the health, welfare, and economic progress of the City of Brunswick and its citizens," a draft of the ordinance reads. "However, the location of shelters providing those services can have an impact on the surrounding businesses, residences, and other service providers."

The ordinance restricts homeless shelters, homeless day shelters, rapid rehousing services, homelessness prevention programs, homeless educational services, hygienic services, job and job-training programs, mental health services, homeless management informational data collection, substance abuse programs, family crisis programs, homeless veteran services, domestic violence prevention programs, youth counseling, food preparation and distribution, the supplying of clothing and other daily necessities, counseling providers or other endeavors intended to provide aid to homeless individuals on an exclusive basis.

Under the proposed ordinance, any such services would be required to get a conditional use permit approved by the city commission and an occupational tax license. Conditional use permits must be reviewed by the city's Planning and Appeals Commission and are subject to a public hearing.

The draft ordinance also lays out other restrictions for shelters and services, including bans on loitering and camping, and sets a minimum distance from facilities like schools.

Commissioners will also consider a revised alcohol ordinance. It includes several changes, including requiring business owners seeking a liquor license to meet with the neighborhood planning assembly that covers the area in which they wish to sell alcohol.

Among other things, the commission will consider declaring April 6 to be George Lee Rose Jr. Day in the city.