By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington’s next City Manager wants to focus on a homeless camp on the city’s east side.

At last count, around 30 people call the small tent city home in the parking lot owned by Eastview Christian Church.

Jeff Jurgens, Bloomington’s next city manager, wants to work with local nonprofits to find long-term solutions.

“Eventually, you know, this is something that when you’re homeless, you step out of these types of situations. You get out of the tent situation, then you get into maybe a more permanent structure. Eventually, they need to have some sort of traditional housing, though,” said Jurgens on WJBC’s Afternoon Show.

“We don’t have that transition housing here in the community, so we’re going to be working on that piece as well.”

Matt Burgess, Chief Executive Officer of Home Sweet Home Ministries, reports the nonprofit has found some luck finding long-term solutions, but there remains a waiting list for the tent city.

“We see a little bit of turnover happening, right,” Burgess added on WJBC’s Afternoon Show. “People have been there a few months are able to make progress, so the wait isn’t very long typically, but there is a wait to get in right now.”

A donation link can be found at HSHMministries.com for those wanting to donate.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].