The denial is based on the finding that the facility would create a “private nuisance” in the area. The committee heard several hours of public comments echoing concerns that have been voiced by residents and business owners in the Mahan Drive area.

The vote on the shelter has become a referendum on the homeless issue in Leon County which goes beyond the problems associated with the City Walk shelter. The COVID pandemic has resulted in decisions that have facilitated homeless encampments across Leon County and the relocation of the homeless to hotels. This has resulted in concerns from neighborhood residents and business owners in the impacted areas.

Operators of the City Walk shelter argue that they are providing services that are in demand and that others will not provide. In addition, it appears that City Walk is prepared to deal with challenges to its mission. The group has a ten-year lease on the converted office space, and although their application to provide overnight services was denied, they can continue to provide services to the homeless population during the day. City Walk Executive Director Renee Miller said City Walk intends to continue providing services during the day.

The ramifications of the DRC’s vote — including where the homeless population being housed overnight at City Walk will relocate — are still unclear.

City Walk

The City Walk temporary shelter has caused controversy since opening in November 2020. Residents of the Mahan Drive area have expressed concerns about registered sex offenders residing in the shelter as well as increased instances of loitering around local businesses and neighborhoods.

Business owners in the area have detailed the impact of the shelter on the ability to conduct normal operations and residents have described altercations while walking in the area.

Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey singled out City Walk in January during comments about the “crisis situation in this community” related to the needs and the impact of the homeless. Dailey said he does not support the temporary homeless shelter run by City Walk and “If I could wave a magic wand, I would shut it down immediately.”

The concern by residents in the area is that operators of the shelter are seeking to operate after the emergency situation from the COVID pandemic is over.

In February, City Walk submitted a Type B Site Plan application seeking to transition to a permanent facility. According to a report prepared by Growth Management, staff recommends that the DRC deny the permitting application.

According to the report, “Information provided by the Tallahassee Police Department, staff contacts to surrounding property owners and correspondence received from owners and tenants of adjacent and nearby properties has led to the determination that the facility would cause or create a private nuisance to adjacent properties should it be approved and remain in operation.”

The report states that the shelter “has been a private nuisance to adjacent and nearby properties since its establishment” and cites reports of loitering, harassment of business customers and staff, panhandling, trespassing on residential properties and other issues. The report also found that the shelter does not meet security criteria.

According to the report, City Walk’s application did meet some criteria: there is accessible mass transit nearby, the facility can accommodate its capacity and the design of the facility matches the architectural theme of nearby buildings.

Salemi, who has a Ph.D. in epidemiology, developed his own COVID tracking dashboard. The Florida Department of Health’s COVID dashboard has been under scrutiny throughout the pandemic due to concerns that Florida’s COVID death count has been misreported.

Salemi tweeted, “Recently, I’m being asked repeatedly to comment on a serious topic. Is Florida intentionally underreporting/misrepresenting COVID-19 deaths? I don’t ‘pick sides’ or play politics. I honestly try to describe what the data are telling us, and that involves my interpretation.”

In addition, the issue has become political. Former gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham posted on her Twitter account in December 2020 that the DeSantis “administration have been manipulating and hiding #COVID data from the people of Florida from day one of this crisis.”

Salemi could not confirm whether or not the Department of Health is inaccurately reporting COVID data, but he gave his opinions based on his experience working on his COVID dashboard.

“Clearly, early on DoH was not reporting COVID-19 deaths occurring among non-residents of the state,” Salemi said. He said he thinks this was the wrong thing to do because of Florida’s high population of visitors but that this is a common practice for surveillance reporting.

Salemi also commented on the “reporting lag” for COVID deaths — the length of time between a death occurring and when it is reported. He said the lag has varied, but lately most reported deaths have happened within two weeks to a month.

Salemi concluded that he does not think that Florida has intentionally underreported or misrepresented COVID deaths. He added that COVID death reporting is not perfect, but he believes that it is not worse in Florida than in other places.

The new ordinance states, “When applied to the conversion of a previously existing hotel or motel into one-bedroom studios/efficiency apartments, three such one-bedroom studio/efficiency apartments are the equivalent of one residential dwelling unit.”

According to the meeting agenda, in September 2020, the City was approached by two developers regarding converting obsolete hotels into one-bedroom units to re-use the properties.

“City staff identifies a potential opportunity for providing additional housing inventory, particularly as it applies to ‘missing middle’ housing (which is a spectrum of housing between large lot single-family housing on one end and high-rise, high density units on the other end usually lacking in many communities as a housing type) and providing more price-attainable housing in high activity areas of the City,” staff reports.

Notably, the properties are not intended to be turned into homeless shelters — rather, they are expected to be apartments and condos for sale at market rate.

Commissioner Jeremy Matlow expressed that the language of the agenda item caused confusion.

“I think this land code change does a good thing, but I don’t want to confuse it with our effort to find housing and transitional housing for the homeless population,” Matlow said. “I just don’t want us to go down a path thinking we’re doing one thing when we’re doing something totally different. I think this is a great way to build density within our urban core and reuse buildings that aren’t serving their best purpose, but I just wanted to make sure we have clarity.”

The properties planned to be converted are University Inn, Days Inn, Quality Inn, Mainstay and Rodeway. Converted residences could be used for student housing and other purposes.

According to the meeting agenda, staff plans to monitor the conversions over the next two years and further refine the land development code.

The Capital Cascades Trail is a multi-use paved trail that totals over four miles across downtown Tallahassee, including Franklin Boulevard, Cascades Park and the FAMU Way Corridor. The skateable art will be located near the intersection of FAMU Way and Pinellas Street in segment three of the trail.

“To reflect on back how much of a nuisance skateboarding has been seen in past decades and to bring it forward and say, no, this is something that we’re going to celebrate; it’s a good part of our community — that is significant,” Commissioner Kristin Dozier said.

Last year, the IA Board awarded the skateable art project to Team Pain, a Florida-based skate park design and construction company. A $1,091,800 contract was executed in August 2020.

Team Pain has designed and constructed 33 custom municipal skate parks in the state. The design process in Tallahassee will include community input into the project’s artistic vision.

“The original proposal to develop a skate park along Capital Cascades Trail came out of an effort to dissuade skateboarding on park features in Cascades Park including the Korean War Memorial,” staff reports. “Through conversations with the skate community, Blueprint staff determined that the 3D shape of the broken circle of life from the Korean War Memorial was the perfect shape for doing a skateboard trick and that if the shape was somewhere else, then the skateboarders would stop using the Memorial.”

Skateable art differs from traditional skate park designs because the design process emphasizes an artistic approach to skate park elements like ramps and bowls, enabling skate parks to also serve as public art.

“This design integrates into the adjacent Capital Cascades Trail, with equal emphasis and intentional consideration being given to the landscape design of the park as well as the skateable features,” staff reports. “Using similar materials and styles, the landscape and hardscape at the skateable art park will visually integrate into the existing Capital Cascades Trail, FAMU Way, and the trail around Coal Chute Pond.”

Staff reports that the skate park will include “an incredible snake run feature” that will be around 225 feet — the longest snake run in Florida. The feature was inspired by the FAMU Rattlers mascot.

Other projects underway along the Capital Cascades Trail are public restrooms, amenities around Coal Chute Pond and a History and Culture Trail celebrating surrounding neighborhoods.

AWPC Executive Director Jamie Brown said Mosaic’s location across from Planned Parenthood was a strategic decision. Planned Parenthood is a known abortion provider — a service not offered by AWPC.

“We placed Mosaic next door to Planned Parenthood because we feel that men and women should have true options in deciding the future about their pregnancy,” she said.

Brown said the clinic intends to help people facing unplanned pregnancies to explore all three of their options: parenthood, adoption and abortion.

Mosaic also offers many free services — including pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and counseling — and low-cost STD testing.

“As a ministry and nonprofit we have the luxury of being able to provide most of our services at no cost to our client, which means we don’t profit from whatever their decision is,” Brown said.

According to the AWPC website, Mosaic’s mission is “to be the front line against the abortion industry” and provide an experience that contrasts Planned Parenthood’s “costly services and industrial feel.”

Brown said she hopes that people walking through Mosaic’s doors for the first time will feel warmly welcomed.

“We want to be a contrast to other entities in that way,” she said.

Brown said AWPC continues to grow, and there is a wide variety of volunteer positions for people interested in getting involved. She said a focus of Mosaic is helping people facing the daunting experience of an unplanned pregnancy to feel comfortable and cared for.

“As a ministry, we want to have the opportunity to love on them to care for them in their moment of crisis, and I’m not sure they’re going to get that elsewhere,” she said. “We want to be that soft place for them to land.”

Multiple citizens made public comments on the Mahan shelter at the meeting, both supporting and opposing the shelter. Common concerns voiced by residents of the Mahan Drive area have included registered sex offenders residing within the shelter, the safety of surrounding neighborhoods and decreased property values.

Big Bend Continuum of Care (BBCoC) Executive Director Amanda Wander gave a presentation on how the BBCoC addresses homelessness, including educating the community, gathering data on homelessness and working with homeless service providers.

Following the presentation, the commissioners commented on the current homelessness crisis.

Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox, the City Commission’s representative to the BBCoC, said, “We don’t have enough units to place homeless people in to get them to a permanent solution.”

“Our focus has to be on helping the people, all people, not just homeless people,” she said.

Commissioner Curtis Richardson emphasized finding a humane solution to the homelessness problem. He also said it is not a government issue and that community partners need to work together to find solutions.

“Government, I don’t think, can solve this alone. We don’t have the resources to solve it,” he said. “I think that if we come together, all of our partners that are concerned about this issue, that we can begin to get our arms around it, but it’s not going to be solved overnight.”

City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow added that there is “no magic wand that’s going to solve the problem.” Matlow repeatedly argued that local government has to get ahead of the problem. He urged people to show sympathy to those who are homeless.

He also stated that he understands why neighborhoods are concerned about the situation and stated that criminal offenses and behavior that crosses the line should not be tolerated.

According to the meeting agenda, the City of Tallahassee “does not provide direct services to homeless individuals” but works with agencies and provides approximately $3.8 million in financial support for homelessness prevention, outreach and more. By 2025, the City aims to achieve “functional zero” homelessness.

City Walk’s permit is slated for discussion by the Development Review Committee on March 8.

Matt Puckett, executive director of the Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA), said the LCSO union is planned to form separately from the Big Bend PBA, which represents the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) and other police departments.

Puckett said he thinks the decision to form separately was the right call because of the potential for competing interests if the LCSO union formed under the Big Bend PBA.

“Tallahassee police right now, at this moment, are locked in a pretty contentious contract negotiation, and the Big Bend PBA really needs to focus on that,” he said.

Puckett said the top focuses of the LCSO union are still being discussed, but one issue could be deputy salaries. He said deputies want to have direct conversations with Sheriff Walt McNeil to identify issues.

Puckett also emphasized that the goal of forming the union was to give deputies a sense of stability as well as influence on the future of the sheriff’s department.

“This was so much out of love for the agency that these deputies wanted to join and form a union,” he said. “They want to have a role in the future of LCSO because they love it.”

“We are at a crisis situation in this community, and we must address what is going on with those that are experiencing homelessness not only with service provided towards them but how it is impacting our community as a whole,” Dailey said. “It is not acceptable.”

Dailey said he does not support the temporary homeless shelter on Mahan Drive that is currently being run by City Walk Urban Mission. The shelter, which is located at 1709 Mahan Drive, formed after other area emergency shelters decreased their capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, residents of the Mahan Drive area have voiced concerns about the safety of the shelter.

“If I could wave a magic wand, I would shut it down immediately,” Dailey said.

City Manager Reese Goad said that the temporary shelter is currently not in compliance with City codes, and City staff has given City Walk until Feb. 4 to bring it into compliance. He said if City Walk does not seek compliance, the City will take action to shut down the shelter.

City Walk Executive Director Renee Miller previously told Tallahassee Reports that City Walk has procured a project manager to bring the shelter up to code.

Dailey said he has “grave personal concerns” over the City Walk due to the fact that the shelter is housing a registered sex offender near a neighborhood and preschool. Residents of the area have echoed these concerns.

“We have got to do everything in our power, in my personal opinion, to relocate if not completely shut down this particular homeless shelter,” Dailey said.

He also mentioned that Tallahassee’s homeless population has been migrating into residential neighborhoods, causing residents to feel “extremely uncomfortable and fearful.”

“It is getting to the point where every day we are fielding calls about solicitation in neighborhoods, about aggressive panhandling, which is illegal, knocking on doors in neighborhoods,” he said.

Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox, who serves on the Big Bend Homeless Coalition, emphasized solving the problem humanely and with empathy. She also said the City should work with the County to address the homeless problem.

On Wednesday morning, ahead of the City Commission meeting, Dailey appeared on the Preston Scott Show and said he believes that the majority of the City Commission agrees with him that the City needs a proactive plan to deal with homelessness.

“We are putting together our plan, and we’re going to be very careful and methodical,” Dailey said. “We want to do it in a way that we treat people with decency and respect.”

According to the agenda, some of the top priorities for the retreat are a community impact report on the Leon CARES expenditure plan as well as a discussion on Policy No. 01-05, “Rules of Procedure for Meetings of the Leon County Board of County Commissioners.”

The Leon CARES community impact report will cover the impacts of the program so far. The County Commissioners voted to implement the Leon CARES expenditure plan in July 2020 to distribute $51.2 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds. The goal of Leon CARES was to provide financial assistance to businesses and individuals suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

The discussion on Policy No. 01-05, which pertains to meeting procedures, will be led by County Attorney Chasity O’Steen. At their Dec. 8 meeting, the County Commissioners voted to review meeting procedures at the retreat. According to the retreat agenda, the commissioners could consider making amendments to Policy No. 01-05.

Later in the day, the retreat will also include a review of the Fiscal Year 2017-2021 Strategic Plan, including five-year targets and goals.

The retreat will take place Monday at Florida State University’s Dodd Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Tallahassee Police Department data shows that 26 death investigations were ruled suicides in 2020.

Tallahassee Reports has obtained the age breakdown of the deaths ruled suicides by TPD. According to TPD data, the age breakdown of the 26 suicides is as follows:

– Under 18 years old: two suicides
– 18 to less than 25 years old: seven suicides
– 25 to less than 55 years old: nine suicides
– 55 years old and above: eight suicides

In November 2020, TPD spokesperson Alicia Turner indicated that the pandemic contributed to the increase in suicides. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also released information indicating that, throughout the pandemic, many people’s mental health struggles have heightened due to social distancing, financial distress and other factors.

How do COVID deaths and suicides compare?

In Leon County, as of Jan. 12, 2021, 188 people have died from COVID-19. However, nine people under age 55 have died from COVID-19.

These numbers indicate that for people under 55 — which is approximately 75% of the Leon County population — suicide (18 under age 55) was more deadly than COVID-19 in 2020.

Also notable is the fact that there have been no COVID deaths reported under the age of 25, but nine people in this age group died from suicide.

Did COVID mitigation policies contribute to the increase in suicides in Leon County?

Untangling the cause and effect relationship between government policies is difficult. However, according to other reports — including TPD data —suicides in 2020 in Tallahassee were significantly higher than 2019. It would appear that this information would warrant further attention from policymakers.

TR will continue to investigate this issue.

Support Local, Fact-Based Journalism with
a $50 Annual TR Subscription

Earlier this week, after rioters stormed the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., the FBI warned that similar attacks could occur in state capitols.

Revell said TPD is aware of the situation and preparing for it.

“I’ve canceled days off for all of our officers starting Saturday, and that will go through Thursday of next week,” he said.

He said TPD is also coordinating with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies as well as the FBI.

“We will ensure that we are fully staffed to handle any issue that may arise,” Revell said.

He said that TPD currently has no knowledge of a specific threat in Tallahassee.

According to the agenda, the top priorities for the retreat include the City’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, updates on the local economy, the first annual review of the 2020-2024 Strategic Plan and the COVID vaccine distribution plan.

The agenda notes that Moderna vaccine distribution is already underway through a collaboration between the City and Leon County, and over 4,800 individuals in Leon County have received their first dose of the vaccine.

Leon County residents ages 65 and older can currently receive the vaccine; according to the agenda, “This first wave of local inoculations, including both doses, is expected to be completed by early February 2021. Distribution and population prioritization for subsequent Moderna vaccines is still in the planning process.”

The retreat will also include discussions on infrastructure investment on the Southside and in other areas as well as a review of 2020, including the City’s COVID-19 response, economic development and public safety.

The retreat will take place at the Electric and Gas Logistics Facility on Jackson Bluff Road. Doors open at 8:30 a.m., and adjournment is at 2:30 p.m. Public comment will take place at 11:30 a.m.