Respite shelters now open for homeless people seeking relief from smoky conditions
April 22, 2026
Press release from the TaskForce for Ending Homelessness
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Homeless Respite Centers are now established in Gainesville to provide a safe indoor space for individuals seeking relief from smoky conditions caused by regional wildfires. Homeless residents in Alachua County are encouraged to utilize the resources below.
Continuum of Care Emergency Unsheltered Homeless Respite Centers
- Catholic Charities – 1701 NE 9th Street, Gainesville
- Open Wednesday, 4/22 1:00pm-4:00pm; Thursday, 4/23 12:00pm-4:00pm
- The Salvation Army – 639 E University Drive, Gainesville
- Open Wednesday, 4/22 11:00am-3:00pm; Thursday, 4/23 9:00am-3:00pm
Continuum of Care 24/7 Emergency Shelters
- Grace Marketplace (Adults only)
- 3055 NE 28th Drive, Gainesville
- Peaceful Paths (Domestic violence – Adults and children)
- Call for location and admission: 352-377-8255
Public Access Libraries
See all locations and hours here: https://www.aclib.us/locations
Homeless people started these fires, and a little wood smoke isn’t going to have an impact on these insatiable crack/weed/meth addicts.
Everyone on the TaskForce for Ending Homelessness should resign in disgrace. They have not done a single positive thing for anyone.
All they have done is cause the number of homeless to skyrocket in Gainesville while taxpayers are forced to concede our public spaces–libraries, parks, even our sidewalks–to these drug-addicted degenerates.
Wrong. They are the main ones cleaning up the streets and getting people the real help they need. I would rather people go get the treatment they need than stay in the woods to maybe start more fires. Use your brain it may help you.
Why are they allowing this. How about actual residents that own a house? They should be taken care of first. What next after the fires go away? Pollen respite centers? Mosquito respite centers? Homeless people living in the wooded encampments choose to live there. They choose to deal with nature’s wrath. They want a free ride put them to work cleaning up their trash and fire fuel they seemingly discard all over. Fires do not start in the middle of wooded areas for no reason. There is no lightning so someone is striking a match.