Mayor Sharon Tucker had her public hearing for the proposed Anchor Resource Center Monday evening at the Grand Wayne Center.
A few hundred people and most of Fort Wayne’s City Council showed up.
Led by Russ Jehl, Republicans on the council have refused for months to entertain a vote on the funding for the low-barrier homeless shelter. Among other reasons, they cited the need for a formal public hearing.
Jehl did not attend the hearing.
City officials gave a brief presentation on the selection of the 333 E. Washington Boulevard building.
Then they opened the mic.
Most of those who spoke were in favor of the plan.
Sarah Thompson owns Good Bread For All in downtown.
Everyday her staff serves “the special”, a dish of rice and beans available for free to whomever needs it– no questions asked.
"We make it every day that we're open, and we've served like just around 1,000 specials since November," she said. “This resource center could be a place that I could say, ‘Hey, just keep walking down this street, you know, 10 blocks’…It'd be a place to send them. Right now, there's nowhere I can send them.”
Council is expected to take a vote on the purchase of the building next month.
