SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones pitched local leaders on a countywide plan to address homelessness, but the proposal drew immediate opposition from at least two alderwomen over the facility’s proposed location.
The pitch
The project, called Hope City, is described as a stabilization center — not a homeless shelter. Jones presented the idea to a group that included 16 countywide organizations and elected officials. Jones said a new state law is cracking down on unhoused people in public spaces, and that residents have asked for them to be less visible in areas downtown.
The proposed facility would include living spaces, bedrooms, medical treatment rooms, a kitchen and a barber shop. The district’s health director also outlined ways a stabilization center would remove homelessness from public spaces while improving the lives of people brought in off the streets.
Jones said the plan would also free up jail cells, reducing costs for taxpayers…