‘At least the discussion is starting:’ SoDo residents grill city commissioner about proposed homeless shelter

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This story was originally published by WKMG News 6.

One week after residents of Orlando’s SoDo district expressed disappointment in a perceived lack of transparency about plans for a proposed homeless shelter in their neighborhood, the city commissioner who represents them fielded their tough questions.

“At least the discussion is starting,” Octavian Cantilli, a leading opponent to the proposed shelter, said after a meeting that, at times, grew tense. “I have to give them credit for that.”

For more than an hour Monday night, Patty Sheehan, Orlando’s District 4 commissioner, and Lisa Portelli, a senior advisor to Mayor Buddy Dyer on homelessness and social services, walked through the need for a large shelter in the area.

“I think the facility bodes well just because of the way it’s designed,” Sheehan told News 6 after the meeting. “Because it used to be a prison for goodness sake. It’s a very secure facility.”

Late last year, the city and county reached an interlocal agreement that allows the county to lease the vacant work release center on West Kaley Street to the city for $1 per year over seven years. The city plans to convert the center into a homeless shelter.

In addition to pointing to the infrastructure of the facility, Sheehan and Portelli stressed that there would be security on staff.

Opponents, however, are skeptical that the security would be foolproof, noting that the shelter is deemed as “low-barrier” and people who stay there can come and go as they please.

“This would be catastrophic to their safety,” Cantilli said, referring to his five children. “So by all means this has to stop.”

The city has contracted a firm to conduct a feasibility study of the facility. Portelli said Monday night that the study should be completed by the end of the month.

While Cantilli said he appreciated Sheehan and Portelli attending the meeting, he did not find their arguments convincing. He also believes the city will go ahead with opening the shelter, irrespective of what the feasibility study finds.

“They still seem very hellbent on moving forward,” Cantilli said.

Sheehan, who voted in favor of the interlocal agreement last year, would not tell reporters if she has changed her mind after speaking to constituents.

She said she understood their frustration, but pointed to a recently enacted state law that prohibits homeless individuals from camping on city streets, sidewalks, and parks as an obstacle that has boxed local governments into a corner.

“The difficulty is we have a new state law,” Sheehan said. “We’re trying to provide for services. We’re trying to get people off the street. It’s just a tough fit.”

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