Escambia County has begun the communication and planning process for individuals to vacate the homeless encampment located on county property near Beggs Lane and North Palafox Street, working closely with community partners and service providers to make the transition as smooth as possible for those living in the encampment.
- “Beggs Lane is an EPA Superfund site, and so when the county took the property over, there were deed restrictions put in place that it was not fit for human habitation, so not for anybody to be camping on it or to be living on it or anything of that nature at the time,” said Emergency Manager Travis Tompkins. “And so, the EPA came back around to the county knowing that there was a camp out there, letting the county know that that’s not acceptable.”
Another factor is House Bill 1365. which prohibits camping or sleeping on public property. “It all came together all at the same time, but the one thing that we wanted to ensure is that we have plenty of time. We’ve got until Dec. 2, which is the deadline for ensuring everybody is out of there.”
Escambia County has hosted two meetings with county staff and local organizations that provide various services to individuals experiencing homelessness. Additional sessions will be held as this process moves forward, along with outreach events to connect individuals in the encampment with available resources, including shelters and transitional housing, IDs, healthcare and mental health services, substance abuse programs, and other services.
- “We are working to ensure that we get case management for every individual out there that wants it, that we find someplace for every single person to go out there that wants it,” Tompkins said. “And I have to reiterate that for folks that want it because, unfortunately, we’re still going to run into some folks that no matter what services we provide to them, they’re not going to take it. And so we know that, and I’ve worked in the homeless community for a very long time alongside a lot of these partners, and this is the time to do it. And I’m very hopeful that we can really help a lot of people in this transition.”
Outreach groups have already started communicating directly with campers about the upcoming deadline to vacate the area on or before Dec. 2, 2024. In the coming weeks, Escambia County staff, community partners, and representatives will walk the encampment and distribute information about available resources to assist campers with the transition. Notices will also be posted throughout the impacted areas, with the deadline for anyone living there to collect their belongings and vacate the property.
- “In our last meeting, Michael Kimberl came, and he brought actually three residents of the camp. And it was good to actually hear from the folks that are actually living out there about some of their concerns. And quite frankly, it kind of even shaped a little bit more of what we’re trying to do for services out there. We will be working very closely with Scott Lunsford for our tax collector to ensure that we can get IDs for folks out there. That is an extremely important first step to getting out of homelessness and to move transitioning into something more permanent,” said Tompkins.
Escambia County will continue working collaboratively with community partners and provide updates as this process progresses.
For information about available resources, visit MyEscambia.com/realchange.
