CLEVELAND -- A lengthy City Council meeting was held Wednesday to address the topic of sex offenders living in the city.

Once sex offenders are released from jail, where do they go and how is that decision made? Cleveland City Council wants to know the answers to those questions before a sex offender calls a Cleveland neighborhood home, reported NewsChannel5's Tracy Carloss.

There are almost 3,000 sex offenders living in Cuyahoga County, and more than half of them are living in Cleveland neighborhoods.

In one month, 59 sex offenders moved into an east side neighborhood in Cleveland's Ward 6.

But city leaders say it's a problem in many neighborhoods.

"If there is a sex predator on your street and you have the ability to be upward mobile, you will leave," said Councilman Mike Polensek.

City Council summoned people from the city, the county, the state and various other agencies to the meeting. Council wants to hammer out the issue of finding a home for sex offenders.

"If we cannot stop sex offenders from moving into our community, how can we provide the best and safest conditions for our residents and for offenders themselves," said Council Member Patt Britt.

Experts believe that the majority of offenders can be rehabilitated and become productive members of society when they are released from prison.

The state says they try to find them a home in their own community.

"There may be a few from other communities, but mostly they are from Cuyahoga County or other contiguous counties -- 80 to 90 percent from Cuyahoga County," said Linda Janes, of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Council now plans on forming a subcommittee to look at the issue closer. Another meeting is expected within the next few months.