ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Some of the people from Rochester’s homeless population are finding shelter inside the Civic Center parking garage downtown. 

Folks from several area outreach groups converged on the lower level of the garage in downtown Rochester on Friday. They say they were alerted that the homeless were going to be dispersed.

"We were informed that they were going to make the people in the garage relocate and that they were going to lock the garage doors,” said Lisa Kuhman of Person Centered Housing Options. “So basically we’re here to let the people that stay in the garage know that they’re going to have to vacate, they probably won’t be allowed to come back in here and just try to give them an opportunity or options to allow for them to go to a shelter if they are able or willing.”

The organization provides community-wide homeless outreach and works toward placing the homeless in permanent housing.

Not everyone is willing. Outreach workers say mental illness, drug addiction or other issues can prevent the homeless from accepting help. The group says bed availability is a problem, particularly, adequate bed availability.

"It’s not that people don’t want to be housed, it’s just that we need the right housing for people and that it takes time,” said Kuhmann. “Moving people around constantly like this just makes it harder for us. It makes it harder for them to be able to get to that next step.”

Kuhmann says they will continue to reach out to the homeless, whether they’re in the garage or elsewhere in the community.

"We’re going to continue to keep coming out," said Kuhmann.

Outreach workers tell Spectrum News 1 the county contacted them and said they are holding off on moving the homeless out of the Civic Center Garage and plan to meet with them next week.