SANFORD, Fla. — City leaders in Sanford are outlining their priorities for the coming years after a special work session focused on key issues, including homelessness, crime prevention and infrastructure improvements.

What You Need To Know

  • Sanford is the only city in Seminole County with a homeless shelter, and officials are debating how to address the issue, with some pushing for a centralized service hub

  • While some commissioners support expanding services, others oppose adding more housing, citing concerns about attracting more homeless individuals

  • The discussion also covered crime prevention, infrastructure upgrades, and improving customer service for residents

During the rare Saturday morning meeting, city commissioners discussed strategies to address challenges, with homelessness emerging as a top concern. Sanford is the only city in Seminole County with a homeless shelter, the Rescue Outreach Mission, which is located in the city’s historic Goldsboro neighborhood.

Commissioner Claudia Thomas, who represents District 4, emphasized the need for other Seminole County cities to share the responsibility.

“I understand that we are Sanford, we do have the mission, we do have support, but I also would love it if all of the cities were participating in trying to solve this problem,” Thomas said.

Commissioner Kerry Wiggins Sr., whose District 2 includes the Rescue Outreach Mission, pushed back against the idea of additional housing for the homeless.

“I’m never going to push for anything that’s going to allow us to bring more housing in my decision that’s going to bring more homeless people in,” Wiggins said. “That’s not fair to our citizens.”

Commissioners noted that other nearby cities, such as Longwood, have centralized resources for those in need, making services more accessible. Commissioner Sheena Rena Britton pointed to the Sharing Center in Longwood as a model that could benefit Sanford.

“The city of Longwood, with the Sharing Center, they have everything in one centralized place,” Britton said. “You start here, you can go get your food, go get training, and then you’re out. The city of Sanford, we just have stuff everywhere.”

Mayor Art Woodruff said commissioners identified a potential site in District 4, near the mall, for a centralized service hub.

In addition to homelessness, the commission’s discussion covered crime prevention, infrastructure improvements, and enhancing customer service for residents.

While the meeting was open to the public, no public comment was allowed.