The Gainesville City Commission will meet tonight to discuss plans for a one-stop homeless center in Alachua County.
Students are encouraged to attend and express their opinions, said Dirk Sampselle, a UF political science senior and intern for the Gainesville and Alachua County Office on Homelessness.
The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
"The politicians are accountable to the students, because they live here," Sampselle said. "If students have opinions on the matter, they should voice them at the meeting."
The proposed GRACE Marketplace would provide a place for the homeless to get food, take showers and do laundry. Homeless people could also receive counseling and help with finding employment opportunities.
But they wouldn't be able to stay overnight.
In combination with efforts to prove affordable housing, access to health care and job training, the one-stop shelter will help Gainesville reach its 10-year goal of eliminating homelessness, according to a 2005 city plan.
Some students have already begun to analyze the shelter's pros and cons.
Sarah Spencer, a UF public relations senior, said she felt the shelter would be a step in the right direction but had significant drawbacks, including its proposed location about 33 blocks from downtown Gainesville.
"Thirty-three blocks is a long way for someone who does not have transportation, especially if they cannot stay the night there," Spencer said.
Geoffrey Chiles, a UF business administration junior, said he thought the center was a good idea.
"If the city commissioners can make changes with plans that decrease homelessness and improve the socio-economic standard, then those plans should be enacted," he said.
