MILFORD, Del. - Tomorrow, Feb. 28 the City of Milford is hosting a workshop aimed at finding a location for a pallet village that would house the homeless. A discussion that began in January. At the same time, city council will also consider what to do with the old police station.
Andrew Scott who lives just across the street from the new Milford police station is one of the proposed locations for a new pallet village. Scott said while he personally has volunteered to help the homeless, he worries about everyone else that lives nearby,
"My biggest concerns would be the safety for the older residents that lives here and then for the younger residents that are moving in with their children and things like that."
However Martha Gery, Founder of Milford Advocacy for the Homeless, say doesn't think the village belongs in downtown Milford, but it is important to have resources within walking distance of the homes to ensure success.
"We're really looking to help those kind of people that just lost their housing and need help." said Gery. "They go to work every single day. They have things that, you know, taking care of their family. So they need to be close to those kinds of services."
Now that the city's police have moved into their new building, Gery feels a pallet village would not make sense on that property but would be convenient for helping those at the pallet village should it be placed behind the new police department,
"I would love to be able to have it considered for us to be a hub so that we could help people and work with people. We think it's a real benefit to the location, but because of the way the city is set up, I just don't think it's a viable piece. And because the amount of time it would take to do the construction on it just doesn't make sense."
However Andrew Scott feels like there are plenty of resources for the homeless in Milford. He says the building should be used for educational purposes,
"That would be a great thing for the child care centers to come walk through the Milford police - like the fire station and stuff, you know, just to get knowledge and understanding of how police work, how history is being made and things of that nature."
While a decision cannot be made at a workshop, Gery hopes a location will be determined soon as ARPA funds for this project expire in the next year or two.