Bay County has a need for homeless services and the Rescue Mission does a good job of that mission. A homeless population in the downtown area is inconsistent with redevelopment objectives. The right way to fix both needs is to provide a suitable/desirable option that allows the Rescue Mission to continue their mission at a location that is not detrimental to downtown redevelopment.
1) Meet with the Rescue Mission leadership to discuss options/requirements for relocating out of downtown
2) Purchase/trade/acquire land in an acceptable area preferably with suitable building/structure.
3) Develop needed accommodations for transient homeless.
4) Relocate the mission from 6th Street to the new accommodations.
Possible locations: 15th St next to the PC Police Dept. Vacant land near Bay County Water Treatment near Transmitter and the railway. Balboa near the railroad tracks between 19th and 15th. Consider purchase/re-outfitting Apts near the curve in Tyndall Pkwy destroyed by Michael.
1) Reduces vagrancy in the downtown redevelopment area
2) Opens up the east/west corridor of Panama City for development in accordance with the new downtown code from Harrison Ave to Martin Luther King/Cove Blvd and Bay Medical.
