For people hanging onto the lower rungs of society, getting into safe and affordable housing is the first step up toward stability and security.
But for thousands of people in Leon County, that kind of housing doesn’t exist.
Local officials and civic leaders are hoping to change that. About 65 people are meeting Friday to discuss ways to solve what one businessman called a blight on the community.
“This is a sore on our body that can’t heal,” said Rick Kearney, CEO of Mainline Information Systems who’s invested his own money in affordable housing and homeless shelters. “Economic development is hampered because of that.”