Jacksonville City Council approved the more than $413,000 in funding to allow Sulzbacher to maintain emergency beds for women experiencing homelessness.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville City Councill unanimously approved funding that will allow the Sulzbacher Center to add at least 32 emergency shelter beds for women to its downtown campus.
The ordinance provides $413,900 in its first year to convert existing office space at Sulzbacher’s East Adams Street location into emergency shelter space for women. The shelter does not currently provide overnight housing for women, who are instead directed to Sulzbacher Village on Springfield Boulevard.
Sulzbacher leaders say the need for additional beds has become increasingly urgent as homelessness continues to rise in Jacksonville. Sulzbacher is consistently at max capacity at both its downtown campus and its women and families location.
According to the most recent annual Point-In-Time count, the number of unsheltered people in Baker, Duval, Clay and Nassau counties increased 14% from 2025 to 2026.
Brian Snow, Sulzbacher’s director of housing, previously told First Coast News the increase among women experiencing homelessness has been alarming. Snow said while men have historically been the largest part of the homeless population, recent local numbers are closer to a 60% men, 40% women split.
The use of the funding will be monitored by Jacksonville Fire and Rescue (JFRD), which has advocated for more safe spaces for the community’s increasing number of homeless women. JFRD will refer women to the shelter as needed.
“They’re pleading for more female beds. They’re encountering women on the street and just have nowhere for them to go,” Snow previously told First Coast News.
With their stay, women will have access to food, healthcare, advocates, and resources to help them obtain housing.