A protest in September urged Manatee County commissioners to shutter a drug recovery center after a former client attempted to break into a neighborhood home.
Neighbors of a church offering homeless services in Sarasota County complained to local officials of clients defecating in their yards and sleeping under porches, spurring a code violation this year and orders for the church to stop service operations.
In both cases, residents behind the complaints said they have no problems with — and even applaud — the social work the organizations are doing. But they fear allowing the services in their own neighborhoods has created a dangerous environment for their communities…