In Tampa today, the Hillsborough County Commission has voted to reject a rezoning request today that would have allowed for Catholic Charities to get closer to building a tent city in the County.
The organizers said they would build housing for up to 250 homeless people, for up to 90 days at a time.
Interestingly enough, the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County is against the proposal. The head of the Coalition, Rayme Nuckles told Fox 13 last week that:
"The tents are not an effective way to meet the needs of the homeless," said Rayme Nuckles, CEO of the Homeless Coalition, who has also been critical of Catholic Charities.
Here's what Nuckles says on a home video shot at a meeting of the Stop Tent City group October 2nd:
"We said, 'let's do this the right way, because you screwed it up in Pinellas County.'" There were hoots and applause, music to Tent City's detractors, who've pledged to campaign against any county commissioner who votes for the tents.
But again, on a 4-3 vote, Commissioners Higgenbotham, White, Sharpe and Hagen voted to deny the rezoning.
