The Commercial Real Estate Alpha Site

The county has narrowed a list of more than 100 potential sites to a handful of the most viable options. The most likely among them is a property near the corner of Myrtle Street and U.S. 301 — just west of a proposed WaWa convenience store and just outside Sarasota city limits.

Although there was no formal vote at a County Commission meeting Tuesday morning, the harmonious discussion made it clear the county is prepared to proceed with the long-debated shelter — with or without the city’s cooperation.

The issue has been a sore point for the two local governments, creating a rift that has intensified during the past two years and has stymied progress toward addressing the area’s homeless challenges.

The commissioners dismissed a proposal suggested late Monday by the city to swap a downtown Ringling Boulevard tract if the county agrees the build its shelter on Cattlemen Road, five miles east of the city. City officials had touted their proposal as a “win win win win win” and a money-saving option.

But county commissioners already have agreed — based on recommendations from a hired expect on homeless issues — that the shelter needs to be near the core homeless population downtown, where other services for them are already available.