Melbourne officials endorse panhandling crackdown, brainstorm homelessness solutions
A list of conceptual goals:
Prevent, reduce, and mitigate the negative impacts of homelessness on citizens, businesses and city operations.
Support and build capacity within the city and community to address homelessness.
Support regulations that increase the safety of roadways and medians for pedestrians and motorists.
Encourage collaboration among city departments, non-profits, businesses and residents to address homelessness.
Retain and increase affordable housing supply. The Parks and Recreation Department has had to make structural changes to facilities to reduce the locations where individuals can hide at night. They have also had to increase cleaning efforts at the parks, park facilities and restrooms, City Manager Shannon Lewis said in a memo distributed prior to the meeting.