BRUNSWICK, Ga. — A homeless day shelter in downtown Brunswick is closing its doors at the request of the mayor following a spate of violent incidents police say were committed by unhoused city residents.
The Well, which is operated by a local ministry and has been on Gloucester Street since 2015, will temporarily close "while we negotiate a long term solution," according to the Rev. Wright Culpepper, executive director of Faithworks Ministry, which runs the day shelter.
The move comes after several violent incidents in recent weeks that have been linked to homeless people. That topic has been the subject of recent meetings and will be taken up tonight when the Brunswick City Commission considers an ordinance restricting homeless shelters and services in the city.
According to Culpepper, on April 11, the mayor made a request, "not a cease and desist letter" as has been reported, asking the Well to close.
"The Mayor respectfully requested that, in an effort to address an increase in violence in downtown Brunswick, The Well close its doors," Culpepper said in an e-mailed statement. "Collectively, we have agreed to temporarily close the doors of The Well while we negotiate a long term solution."
Homelessness and crime has been a hot topic in Brunswick after series of violent attacks in the city center, including a machete attack and the stabbing of an antique store owner. The most recent assault occurred a day after the mayor sent his request to Culpepper, and involved a homeless woman who gave police the Well as her home address.
The most high-profile incident is the rape and torture of a 15 year old girl, highlighted at a press conference this week by Glynn County District Attorney Keith Higgins. “We've had a 14-year-old juvenile brutally raped and tortured for about 15 hours in the city," he said.
Police arrested Troy Rogers III, 53, in the incident.
The recent violence comes amid growing discontent about the presence of homeless individuals in Brunswick and St. Simons Island. In October, the Brunswick City Commission approved an ordinance cracking down on camping in public spaces. Culpepper opposed the ordinance at the time, reminding lawmakers that "each one living on the streets has a name and story,” Culpepper wrote. Being homeless "does not make them bad people, they are just in a bad place."
First Coast News reached out to Mayor Cosby Johnson for comment and a copy of his letter but have not heard back.
The topic will be discussed by commissioners tonight starting at 6 p.m. The meeting will be broadcast live at facebook.com/citybwkga.
Culpepper's full statement is below:
The Mayor sent a letter on April 11, 2023 which we received on April 15, 2023. In that letter, the Mayor respectfully requested that, in an effort to address an increase in violence in downtown Brunswick, The Well close its doors.
Faithworks and the Mayor have met on two occasions since we received that letter to discuss both a near term solution to the Mayor’s request and address the greater homeless and behavioral health issues affecting our city.
Collectively, we have agreed to temporarily close the doors of The Well while we negotiate a long term solution. Faithworks hopes that certain accommodations will be granted during this temporary closure such that we can continue to serve those most vulnerable in our community while we work towards a long term solution that benefits both the city and the citizens we serve. We will continue to cooperate with the city and the Mayor’s office to serve the needs of Brunswick.