Sarasota homeless services face closure as church faces code violation over shelter operations

Kevin Jackowicz found a temporary refuge at Remnant Cafe, a ministry of Remnant Church in Sarasota County, when he became homeless for the second time. The facility provided him with essential services such as showers, laundry, meals, and a safe space. Jackowicz’s homelessness began after a mental health crisis within his family led to the loss of his housing. He spent a year without a home before securing temporary housing, which he maintained for another year.

When he lost his housing again a few months ago, he returned to Remnant Church, which had previously offered a range of services as part of its ministry. However, the church recently received a violation notice from Sarasota County code enforcement. The notice cited the property as not zoned for a full-scale social service operation and ordered the shutdown of its homelessness services. The complaint came from a neighbor who claimed Remnant clients had made the residential area unclean and unsafe.

The church plans to appeal the violation through a special magistrate, but the complaint has highlighted a complex legal and ethical dilemma involving multiple stakeholders with differing perspectives on how to address the issue. In the interim, over a hundred individuals have been left without access to showers, laundry, and a place to escape the heat. The church has had to reduce its services and hours as it works to resolve the code violation and neighborhood concerns.

Few other organizations in the county provide these services for free, forcing many to pay for laundromats or shower at campgrounds and gyms. These solutions are not sustainable for those without steady income. Jackowicz noted that the lack of access to basic necessities makes it nearly impossible to maintain employment or stability.

Sarasota County has faced similar challenges before. In 2014, a plan for a large come-as-you-are shelter, funded by both the city and county, was abandoned due to the inability to find a suitable location. Remnant Church, led by Pastor Frank Burns and Tammy Burns, the director of homeless ministry, faced similar difficulties a decade ago when beginning its outreach. The church’s mission to serve the homeless made it hard to find a welcoming neighborhood.

The church moved into its current location on Ashton Road in 2017, merging with the Ashton Mennonite Church that had previously operated there. At the time, the location was chosen with the hope of providing a stable environment for its ministry. The ongoing struggle to balance community needs with the provision of essential services reflects a broader challenge in addressing housing insecurity and homelessness.

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