MILFORD, Del.- Hope is on the horizon for tackling homelessness in Milford, but city leaders say a pallet shelter village needs further thought.
Milford Mayor, Archie Campbell, has been looking to Georgetown's pallet village for inspiration. While Milford City Council approved new zoning rules this week.
The new rules allow for emergency shelters on city owned property, and Milford's Economic Development & Community Engagement Administrator, Sara Bluhm, said "it includes tiny home villages and emergency shelter facilities, so if down the line those come forward, we are prepared as a city to allow for those uses."
City officials also said public feedback is going to be necessary to move forward. There were mixed opinions among Milford neighbors Friday.
"As far as safety goes I think it would be a good idea to at least have somewhere for them to get out of the weather," mentioned Milford native Curtis Calhoun.
While Anthony Fitzcharles said he's on the fence.
"I agree and disagree with it," he said. "You want to help the ones who deserve help but then there is people out there who just have no purpose and that's what they want to do, so I have no heart for them."
The city is keeping a potential location for emergency shelters under wraps for now. Fitzcharles suggests keeping them away from typical neighborhoods and housing developments.
"This isn't something they can just do because you don't want it around a bunch of older folks or something like that," he noted.
Bluhm assures city council will consider public opinions on the matter.
"We have 11,000 people in this town so city council are representing more than just themselves," she said. "When they make a decision about if they're going to donate land or lease land they have to let the taxpayer have a say in what goes there."
Representatives from Springboard Collective, the non-profit that runs Georgetown's pallet village, are expected to give a presentation to Milford City Council on Wednesday, Aug. 23. From there, council will decide whether or not to move forward.
