By Valmarie Turner, Director, Department of Community Services, Seminole County
In November 2014, Leadership Seminole hosted Seminole Vision V – a platform that creates the environment in which community leaders come together to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities in Seminole County. Over 100 Community Leaders unanimously decided that reducing homeless was a top community priority. In response to the vision meeting, Leadership Seminole agreed to serve as the lead agency for the development of a community-driven homeless plan and/or strategy.
In response to the identified need, Leadership Seminole submitted a grant proposal to Seminole County Government to establish a Seminole County Task Force on Homelessness. The Task Force, primarily comprised of local business leaders, is an independent community initiative and is focused on creating a strategic plan to address homelessness in Seminole County.
The high rate of homelessness in Seminole County has had a significant impact on the region. In 2011, 60 Minutes aired a new story entitled “Hard times generation: homeless kids” featuring homeless families in Seminole County – particularly homeless children in our school system. In 2013, the Central Florida area, including, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties, was recognized as having the largest number of chronically homeless people among smaller city, county, and regional Continuum of Care areas.
In response and in partnership with Seminole County Government, a number of for-profit, non-profit and faith-based organizations have worked collaboratively to address homelessness in Seminole County. Several new programs have been created and implemented; yet, homelessness continues to impact families/individuals in Seminole County.
A great deal of resources have been committed to this effort on the local level as well as regionally. However, data driven, evidenced based solutions in communities across the nation have shown that a community-driven plan to address homelessness, authored by community stakeholders – such as Leadership Seminole – would create a sense of ownership with the community that is valued and supported.
Leadership Seminole has hired Mr. Phillip Mangano, also known as the “Homeless Czar” and former Executive Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, to assist in developing the action strategies of the Homeless Task Force. Through a collaborative process, the Homeless Action Strategies will include the following:
- Analyze and employ national best practice principles best suited for addressing homelessness in Seminole County – both chronic and family homelessness;
- Identify and catalog supportive services resources;
- Recognize affordable housing opportunities with Seminole County, including formal partnerships with landlords and the development community.
Mr. Mangano and Leadership Seminole are expected to present their final Homeless Action Strategy Report to the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners in April 2016.
