Tag Archives: early voting

Growing Homeless Takeover On Second Floor Of West Regional Library Scares Off Families, Plantation City Council Candidate Wayne Clark Calls For Real Leadership On Issue

2 Replies

The growing homeless problem in the City of Plantation has spread inside the West Regional Library. Over the last two months, REDBROWARD has documented the homeless encampment at the Broward County West Regional complex on Broward Boulevard. A large collection of shopping carts, bags and containers surround the bus depot while homeless individuals sleep inside the nearby parking garage. Since last Monday, the West Regional Library is the location for early voting.

Last week, H. Wayne Clark, a Republican running for Plantation City Council Group 5, shared his plan to keep Broward County and Fort Lauderdale City Officials from building homeless encampments near Plantation. REDBROWARD reported how Broward County Mayor Nan Rich wants to build multiple pallet home encampments in Broadview Park. This portion of unincorporated Broward lies across the street from Plantation’s Country Club Estates neighborhood.

Today, Wayne Clark shared how a mother and her children tried to use the library’s computer center on the second floor of the library. The mother encounter numerous homeless individuals sleeping inside at tables. Feeling unsafe, the mother told Clark she was going to another library.

REDBROWARD visited the library on Tuesday morning. There were at least a dozen homeless individuals on the second floor. Some were sleeping in chairs. Two individuals sat a table surrounded by two wheeled carts filled with their belongings.

Clark told REDBROWARD that residents tell him they are concerned about crime.

Several voters said they brought their concerns to Clark’s opponent, Democrat Louis Reinstein.

One voter told REDBROWARD that Reinstein said there is no solution. Another said Reinstein claimed the new State law banning public encampments did not take affect until January. The law went into effect October 1st.

On Facebook, Councilman Reinstein told a moderator he could not discuss the matter due to the Sunshine Law.

The Sunshine Law does not prevent politicians from answering questions on social media.

Councilman Louis Reinstein did not respond to our request for comment on the homeless issue confronting the City of Plantation.

Plantation City Council Candidate Wayne Clark Discusses Homeless Encampment At Broward Early Voting Site

Leave a reply
Republican H. Wayne Clark is running for Plantation City Council Group 5
Disabled van serves as housing at West Regional Library.
Homeless person sleeping on floor of West Regional Library parking garage

As early voting kicked off this morning in Broward, voters, candidates and volunteers were not the only ones at the poll in Plantation. Before the sun came up, H. Wayne Clark, Plantation City Council Group 5 candidate, encountered homeless individuals sleeping in cars and even the floor of the parking garage of the West Regional Library. REDBROWARD spoke with Clark at the County’s West Regional complex which includes the library, the courthouse, a bus depot and the Emergency Operations Center.

Clark, a Republican, has made the homeless encampment a major issue in his campaign. He said Plantation needs real leadership to keep other cities, such as Fort Lauderdale, from pushing their homeless populations into the city.

Earlier, REDBROWARD asked Clark’s opponent to comment on the West Regional homeless encampment and a proposed pallet home encampment near Plantation.

Councilman Louis Reinstein, a Democrat, did not respond to our request for comment.

Plantation Councilman Louis Reinstein, with Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz