DEKALB COUNTY, GA — DeKalb County commissioners have postponed a vote on a proposed $1.3 million funding measure aimed at expanding services for residents experiencing homelessness.

The resolution would allocate money from the county’s Affordable Housing Fund to the Department of Community Development to support additional street outreach, case management and coordinated entry services.

During their regular meeting, commissioners deferred the proposal to a committee for further review before making a final decision.

Commissioner Ted Terry raised questions about how homeless encampments would be handled, particularly when individuals move from one location to another.

“And so the enforceability of any trespassing or any ordinance really becomes question, simply because someone can say I’ll just move; and they move one door down,” Terry said.

Terry also questioned whether outreach teams would include counselors with specialized qualifications to assist people who have experienced homelessness for several years.

“There is a broad body of academic research that has shown that outreach teams have to have a variety of specialties,” Terry said.

He emphasized the need for an approach that addresses the different circumstances of people experiencing homelessness.

“A more informed strategy and tactics to work with those individuals to ultimately get them to accept housing and support that we are offering,” Terry said.

The commission is scheduled to revisit the proposal during its Nov. 10 meeting.

WSB Radio’s Ashley Simmons & Lisa Nicholas contributed to this story.