The public comment period at Tuesday night’s Fort Wayne City Council meeting felt more like a neighborhood summit. For nearly two hours, about 70 residents, business owners and church leaders stepped to the mic to argue over whether 333 E. Washington Blvd. should become the city’s new downtown homeless services hub, known as the Anchor Resource Center.
Supporters told council members the proposed center would give people experiencing homelessness a reliable place to go while also plugging them into services. Nearby business owners and residents countered with worries that a low-barrier facility could hurt downtown commerce and public safety. As reported by 21Alive, city leaders argue the downtown site makes sense because many unhoused residents already spend time in that area and because multiple service providers are clustered nearby. The mayor’s office says the plan is to bring case management, health care and workforce support under one roof.
Funding And Services
The mayor’s office has lined up philanthropic pledges that officials say total $2.26 million. City staff estimate the project will require about $6 million to buy and renovate the building, plus roughly $1.2 million a year to keep it running. In a City of Fort Wayne news release, officials said the Anchor Resource Center would lease the building from the city and coordinate wraparound care with partners such as Parkview Health and Lutheran Health Network. Several local foundations and businesses are listed among the early funders in that release.
Opposition Coalesces Around School Safety
A coalition calling itself Safe Schools Fort Wayne, which lists downtown business owners and a St. Paul’s Lutheran School leader among its members, has been organizing informational events and a petition drive. The group argues that a 24/7 low-barrier facility should not sit immediately next to a school. 21Alive reports the group says it supports services for people experiencing homelessness but opposes placing the center at this particular location. City homelessness staff have responded that officials have held hundreds of conversations and believe the planned model can cut down on unmanaged encampments.
Council Reaction And What’s Next
By the end of the meeting, several council members voiced support for moving ahead, saying the city needs to act on homelessness. One member stressed the importance of reducing encampments and keeping downtown accessible. WIBC reports that roughly 70 people spoke during the nearly two hours of public comment and that two council members told reporters they intend to vote in favor of the proposal. The city calendar lists a City Council meeting on June 9, 2026, as the next likely chance for a public hearing tied specifically to funding and the building purchase. Officials say comments at that hearing will be expected to stay brief and focused on the funding item itself.
Backers of the Anchor Resource Center say putting services in one centralized location will shorten the time people spend on downtown streets and make it easier to connect clients with housing, health care and job training. With a public hearing coming next week, the conversation is set to shift from broad debate to a formal funding decision that councilors could vote on in the weeks ahead.
