By Roger Jimenez, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
The Apopka City Council unanimously approved a one-year business license agreement with Matthew’s Hope, a nonprofit organization that provides outreach to people experiencing homelessness. The agreement includes the option to renew or extend after the initial term and grants the organization access to city-owned locations for parking its mobile outreach buses.
Related: Turning Point: Apopka takes two giant steps toward managing its homeless crisis.
As previously reported, Matthew’s Hope plans to operate its buses as mobile outreach hubs, providing guests with a safe place to rest, use the restroom, and access additional resources, all by reservation. Each individual will be allowed to stay for up to three nights. The buses will park overnight at designated locations and return to the main facility the following morning. Guests will be transported to and from pick-up sites, which are expected to include local churches.
The agreement lists four potential city-owned sites for parking the buses:
- 320 E 8th Street (behind the City Fuel Island)
- 207 E 8th Street (East 8th Street property)
- 112 E Main Street (Apopka Police Department parking lot)
- 21 N Highland Avenue (McBride/Cemetery property)
To ensure safety, Matthew’s Hope has contracted a security firm. The security personnel stationed on the buses will be equipped with non-lethal weapons such as tasers.
Pastor Scott Billue, who leads the organization, expressed concern about the city’s original requirement to notify them daily of bus arrival locations, explaining that it could place an undue burden on operations.
“That becomes a little bit of a challenge because there’s a lot that goes into making sure this bus is here and ready to go with security and all that,” he said.
Billue stated that a monthly reporting schedule would be more manageable once the team falls into a consistent routine.
During the meeting, Commissioner Diane Velazquez inquired whether food would be provided to individuals before they were transported to the pick-up site. Billue responded that the plan could vary depending on the day's needs.
“Each day could be a different situation. Our biggest thing is to allow them a safe space to rest," Billue said. "However, that being said, the plan would be to have some sandwiches or some basic things. There are a lot of different ways this could work, depending on the services people need that they’re not getting from us already.”
Commissioner Nick Nesta shared that, based on his site visits, the lot behind the City Fuel Island is the most viable of the four proposed locations.
“I drove to all these sites yesterday," he said. "I think the only one that works for the size of vehicle you’re trying to use is the lot behind City Fuel Island. It’s one that we can use right now. The other ones are full of trees that we would have to clear. The Apopka PD Parking Lot I think, logistically, just doesn’t make sense. And the McBride property, although it’s a great site, there’s a lot of topography there that is sloping, so we would have to create a pad. I’m all for that, but again, the other location is one that we could use right now.”
Billue emphasized the value of having flexibility.
“My preference is that we don’t pick one exact spot but that we look at this as four potential spots, and that we can add in there that we’re examining other opportunities… but obviously any location you pick is probably going to need something done to it.”
He also stated that Matthew’s Hope is committed to being a long-term partner in the community.
“I don’t see the reason to go into something for a one-year term and then just shut it down. Everything we do, we’re looking ahead to see how to make sure the stewardship of those services and our funds goes into the future. So in our plan, this is a long-term obligation we’re making.”
The agreement allows Matthew’s Hope to notify the city of their bus schedules every month and permits use of the approved locations, as well as additional ones that may become available through collaborations with local churches and organizations.
