Homelessness in Central Florida July 26, 2011

Presentation Overview Homelessness Orange County Initiatives The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness East Side Drop In Center

Presentation Overview Homelessness Orange County Initiatives The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness East Side Drop In Center

Homelessness Homelessness in Florida According to National Alliance to End Homelessness – Florida ranked the 3 rd highest in number of homeless individuals California - 159,732 New York - 62,601 Florida - 57,751

Homelessness Stages of Homelessness Precariously housed Housing is more than 50% of income Weekly rentals Motels/hotels Sheltered homeless Emergency, transitional housing Unsheltered homeless Living on the streets, in camps

Homelessness Orange County 2011 Point In Time Count Required by HUD to receive funding Done annually Provided through Homeless Services Network A snapshot of homeless within the county and region Extrapolate the numbers across the region from the count

Homelessness Point in time doesnt count Those living in vehicles Those discharged from hospitals to homelessness Releases from jail to homelessness (national estimates indicate 30% are released into homelessness)

Homelessness Orange County 2011 Point In Time Count* 2,872 Homeless on any given night 1,678 Sheltered 1,194 Unsheltered 6,583 Orange County citizens will experience homelessness in 2011 * Conducted by Homeless Services Network in partnership with UCF

Homelessness 2011 Point in Time Count (continued): 65% of tri-county regions homeless are in Orange County 25% are employed (48% in 2008) 17% are veterans (42% increase in 3 years) 20% are chronically homeless, and many with disabilities

Homelessness Homeless Children Number of Homeless Children Attending Orange County Public Schools

Gap Analysis/Homelessness Orange County Housing Needs: Individuals TypeNeedsAvailable Gap Emergency Shelters Transitional Permanent Supportive Housing Housing Needs: Families TypeNeedsAvailable Gap Emergency Shelters Transitional Permanent Supportive Housing 1000

Presentation Overview Homelessness Orange County Initiatives The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness East Side Drop In Center

Orange County Initiatives Creation of the Mental Health and Homeless Issues Division –2003 creation of the Central Receiving Center (almost 25% of consumers at CRC are homeless) –CRC Care Coordination – intensive case management 2008 CRC Phase 2 (ANCHOR) –Transitional housing program for homeless with co-occurring disorders

Orange County Initiatives Family Resource Program - Homeless Prevention Veterans Services Program Funding for Coalition for the Homeless Funding for Pathways Drop In Center Anthony House - Transitional housing Mens Service Center Project HPRP - Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing – (stimulus, ending this year)

Orange County Initiatives Funding for Healthcare Center for the Homeless as part of the PCAN network Shelter Plus Care – HUD program Emergency Shelter Grant – HUD program Partnerships with local providers, and other county divisions (Code Enforcement, OCSO, Animal Services, etc)

Presentation Overview Homelessness Orange County Initiatives The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness East Side Drop In Center

The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness Initially created as a 4 jurisdiction partnership June of 2007 Permanent Commission formed February of 2008 Co-Chaired by Mayors of Orange County and City of Orlando A major recommendation of the Commission - 4 Drop In centers across Central Florida –Orange County (East & West) –Seminole –Osceola

The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness Sen. Mel Martinez, JP Morgan Chase & Co. Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Orange County Mayor Buddy Dyer, City of Orlando Belvin Perry, Jr., 9 th Circuit Court Brenda Carey, Seminole County Alex Martins, Orlando Magic Bob Miles, Orlando Health Cathy Jackson, HSN Clarence Otis, Darden Craig S. Miller, MPRS Ed Timberlake, Seaside Bank Fred Hawkins, Osceola County Gary Earl, Workforce Central Florida Jacob Stuart, Central Florida Partnership Mark Brewer, Community Foundation of Central Florida Meg Crofton, Walt Disney World Rasesh Thakkar, Tavistock Group Robert H. Brown, HFUW Tracy Schmidt, CNL Financial Group Timothy Liezert, VA Membership

The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness Commission Survey on Homelessness Purpose was to understand perception of the community regarding homeless issues Designed and implemented by Dr. James Wright, UCF Professor Public Perceptions of the Homeless and What Needs to be Done: Summary Report

The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness Commission Survey on Homelessness 55% believe its a major problem 33% indicate their attitude about homeless is changing – more sympathetic 73% believe not enough is being done 83% believe its county and municipal governments responsibility

Presentation Overview Homelessness Orange County Initiatives The Central Florida Commission on Homelessness East Side Drop In Center

History Serious problems with homelessness in East Orange County – District Commissioner requests information 2011 Point in time indicates nothing is changing for these campers camps in east orange county ( individuals) Largest contingent of unsheltered campers 12 churches dedicated and organize to help

East Side Drop In Center UCF Study – Living Rough: A Qualitative Study of Homeless People in Outdoor Camps in East Orange County, Florida Understand the plight of these homeless campers Hope Team located participants UCF held the focus groups Results are consistent with other studies done on the unsheltered homeless in other areas Recommendations from the study are consistent with those of a drop in center concept

East Side Drop in Center Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, Inc. Cathy Jackson, Executive Director Homeless Services Network of Central Florida Administers the HUD Continuum of Care funding for the region Liaison with provider agencies and partners with Orange County divisions on homeless issues Board member on the CF Commission on Homelessness Partner in the East Side drop in center project from the beginning

East Side Drop In Center Drop In Center Model: The project concept The mission for the chronically unsheltered homeless HSN partnership Homeless Management Information System data collection Community Partnerships

East Side Drop In Center Drop In Center services/components: Community Voice Mail Washers/Dryers Mental Health/Substance Abuse Services Showers Veterans Administration Identification Vocational Services Legal Clothes Bank Medical Food Pantry Meals

East Side Drop In Center Why East Orange County? Largest contingent of chronically unsheltered homeless campers in the county Many chronically unsheltered homeless with disabling conditions East side lacks a service delivery system for the homeless They access their primary care through the local hospital emergency room East Orange County has many rural areas conducive to outdoor camping Major concentration of camps from 436 east to Alafaya trail

East Side Drop In Center Homeless Camps Map

East of Alafaya Location Location doesnt contain a high concentration of chronically homeless No documentation by the experts of camps or unsheltered homeless east of the econ river Fails to capitalize on resources currently operational Service Center concept is a different project model from a Drop In Center East Side Drop In Center

Drop In Center Project County owned facility Partnership with HSN, and faith organizations No county operating expenses planned Approved CDBG project for unsheltered homeless Services focused on unsheltered homeless Planning around all area services being co-located in a centralized location East Side Drop In Center

CDBG Grant - $800,000 –Acquisition and construction or rehabilitation –Project description - Drop In Center for the Homeless HRSA Grant - $200,000 –Equipment Partnership public/private to provide oversight and on-going operation and maintenance

Summary Homeless population is large and continues to grow Leveraging resources with non-profits, faith based organizations and other governments will be necessary to address the challenge Efforts to locate a suitable site for a homeless drop-in center on the east side of Orange County are on-going

Summary Staff will continue efforts to create a drop-in center in East Orange County easily accessible to the concentration of homeless campers.

Homelessness in Central Florida July 26, 2011