Monday night’s Osceola County Commission meeting was filled with dozens of people supporting the idea of a one-stop crisis center.

  • Osceola commissioners heard public comment on homelessness
  • Chambers filled with one-stop crisis center supporters
  • Comm. Choudhry hopes to get vote on measure before May 

While no decisions were made, commissioners heard about two hours worth of public comment regarding homelessness.

Maggie Mohn who is blind lives in the woods with her husband Lawrence Holden. She said being homeless is the reason behind a series of unfortunate events for them. Mohn was recently raped and he was arrested for sleeping in the streets. “It’s very frustrating,” she said.

They’re not the only ones who feel passionately about Osceola County getting a facility for the homeless. “I would like to see them put this center up. We need a place like that, somewhere to go,” Holden said.

Almost every seat within the Osceola County chambers were filled with people supporting commissioner Peggy Choudhry and her idea for a one stop shop, including public officials. “Anyone can become homeless,” said Osceola County Clerk of Court Armando Ramirez

The goal of the one-stop crisis center is to provide homeless individuals with wrap around services to get into permanent housing by grouping different agencies like churches and non-profits. During public comment the Rock Church offered their 20 acre property as a possible space for this project.

"Let's set aside $850,000 to a $1,000,000 and dedicate it to these efforts on homelessness in Osceola County,” said commissioner Choudhry. “Let’s get nonprofits and expert leaders in a group, put them together and let them talk on how this would work."

Those who are homeless and spoke out during the meeting said it would make a huge difference if they had all kinds of services under one roof.

“Because of the fact that it’s not all one building… Now there’s a bunch of churches everywhere else we don’t know where these churches are,” explained Mary Abney who is also homeless. “If they all commune and come together to this one building we wouldn't have to go hide and seek.”

Commissioner Choudhry hopes to bring this back for a vote before May before a full commission board.