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Homelessness Rises While Hurricane Shelter Count Stagnates 5 Sep 2024 11:21 PM (7 months ago)

By Jasmine Knox

Gov. Ron DeSantis has pushed to wipe all mention of climate change from state law and criminalized sleeping outside state-wide not only in the face of Florida’s rates of homelessness being top three in the country, but as emergency shelter space fails to increase to compensate as hurricanes continue to batter the state.

A 2023 annual report by the Florida Division of Emergency Management on shelter development states that, while more evacuation shelter space has been added year after year, it has not kept up with population increases and the decay of its own infrastructure. Most counties have enough spaces, but the report recommends an almost 10% increase from 1.02 million spaces to 1.14 million at a cost of over $70 million to keep it that way.

The Homeless Services Network of Central Florida’s January point-in-time count found that people experiencing homelessness in Central Florida rose by almost a third compared to last year’s, though.

Martha Are, the president and CEO of HSN, told the Homeless Voice that hurricanes and the lack of non-emergency shelter is an increasing threat to those experiencing unsheltered homelessness as rates continue to rise.

All the while the Emergency Management report says that the State Shelter Development Program budget has been stagnant since 2008 in the face of shelter space development costs increasing by at least four times since then.

More unsheltered homelessness means more people that need shelter, and the less shelter the more emergency shelter needed to compensate during a hurricane

According to HSN, the shelters in their region have agreed, thanks to Are’s efforts, to expand beyond normal capacity in emergencies likes hurricanes, helping with that issue. The current issue in their region of Central Florida is lack of shelter on an everyday basis.

Other local nonprofits have felt the pinch of budget constraints in their attempts to manage the increase in Floridians experiencing homelessness.

SALT Outreach, a nonprofit which serves unhoused individuals in need in Orlando, was recently on the verge of closing until they received a $300,000 donation from Big Nova Foundation. Eric Caramillo, the president and CEO, attributed the financial strain largely due to federal grants and funding from Orlando and Orange County, supplemented by federal COVID funding, running dry.

Some of those experiencing unsheltered homelessness say they face even more red tape trying to access emergency shelter in preparation for a hurricane.

Mary Stewart has survived multiple hurricanes while unsheltered in Florida, previously writing on her experience of Hurricane Wilma for the The Homeless Voice.

When Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida in 2017, Stewart said it was difficult for herself and her husband, along with their peers, to find shelter.

“The first shelter we went to said they wouldn’t accept homeless people,” she said. “The next shelter…accepted us. But the second night, the staff called a group of us together and moved us into a narrow hallway and tried to lock us in until we ‘raised hell’ and threatened to sue. We couldn’t figure out why we were put in the hallway, until we realized we were all homeless.”

Stewart also said she’s seen people with addictions struggle to find an accommodating shelter that provides medical intervention or treatment for withdrawal, and Red Cross shelters turn away people for not having identification.

Legislation like Florida’s recent state-wide camping ban leaves many unsheltered Floridians liable to be arrested for sheltering outside in a storm. Stewart expressed anxiety about the possibility of being ticketed or jailed for this, especially if local shelters are already at capacity.

“The state is consequencing [sic] poor people for being poor and disabled people for being disabled,” said Stewart.

While Florida’s new law will severely restrict options for unsheltered individuals, the state is also on a trajectory to broadly ignore the solutions required to mitigate the effects of climate change.

As of July 1, 2024, legislation signed by DeSantis erases most mentions of climate change from state law as parts of Southeast Florida were flooded with over 20 inches of rain and Hurricane Beryl became the earliest recorded Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic the month before.

“The need for affordable housing and emergency homeless shelters, this is an infrastructure challenge,” Are said. “And it requires funding and that’s a challenge for communities that grow very quickly,” referencing the growing population of communities like Orlando.

The post Homelessness Rises While Hurricane Shelter Count Stagnates appeared first on Homeless Voice.

Cruel and Unusual No More 13 Aug 2024 9:25 AM (8 months ago)

The Supreme Court has decided fines and jail-time for sleeping outside when there is a camping ban is not cruel and and unusual punishment, paving the way for Florida’s own state-wide ban on camping.

A recent Supreme Court ruling has overturned precedent that stopped municipalities from punishing unhoused people when no shelter was available, paving the way for Florida’s own statewide camping ban even though many cities lack the housing they need.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled in Johnson v. Grants Pass that camping bans don’t constitute cruel or unusual punishment, which is unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment. The case was decided on a 6-3 vote.

The plaintiffs in the case, which has been in the court system for more than a year, argued that a municipal ordinance in Grants Pass, Oregon, prohibiting camping on public property unfairly targeted people experiencing homelessness. City officials argued that the ordinance was necessary to control growing encampments, protect private property and address public health concerns.

In the majority opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch argued that solutions for homelessness should be left to state and local governments.

“Homelessness is complex,” Gorsuch wrote. “Its causes are many. So may be the public policy responses required to address it.”

The ruling overturns previous legal precedent, set in Martin v. Boise that prevented cities from criminalizing the conduct of people who are “involuntarily homeless” and determined camping bans were cruel and unusual punishment unless shelter was available.

Advocates for housing solutions were quick to condemn the ruling.

Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, released a statement calling the ruling devastating and saying it doesn’t address the reality of homelessness.

“We will continue to do what we can at a local and state level to push back against the criminalization of our fellow Americans who deserve evidence-based interventions, not incarceration,” Eskamani said. “We will also advocate for additional dollars to be allocated toward both homelessness and long-term housing affordability projects.”

The National Homelessness Law Center, in a statement, called the ruling disappointing and said it will make homelessness worse.

“Arresting or fining people for trying to survive is expensive, counterproductive, and cruel,” the statement said. “Cities are now even more empowered to neglect proven housing-based solutions and to arrest or fine those with no choice but to sleep outdoors.”

That reality will be far more likely in Florida following the passage of a state law in March that prohibits local governments from allowing camping or sleeping on public property, effective Oct. 1.

 

IMPACT IN FLORIDA

Florida’s law gives businesses and residents the power to hold municipalities accountable through civil lawsuits if people are found sleeping outside while there is shelter space. The solution given in the law is a legal mechanism for municipalities — towns, cities, counties — to create designated camping areas on municipal land for up to one year, requiring bathrooms, running water and substance abuse and mental health services be available. The space must be approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Florida Rep. Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island, who helped spearhead the law, praised the court ruling in a statement to the Tallahassee Democrat.

“Today’s United States Supreme Court ruling is a victory for common sense and judicial restraint,” Garrison said. “Florida has chosen to reject comfortable inaction and tackle this problem head on. That is our right, and our obligation.”

Antonia Fasanelli, the Executive Director of the National Homelessness Law Center, disagrees that the law will tackle homelessness. She told the Homeless Voice that the law is attempting to create “internment camps” for unhoused people.

“It’s a very poorly thought out law and it’s a very harmful and aggressive law,” Fasanelli said. “And ultimately what it does is it penalizes people who have done nothing wrong simply because they live their lives in public spaces. And the elected officials don’t want that to be seen anymore.”

Fasanelli also questioned whether it will be possible for municipalities to meet all of the requirements laid out in the law, particularly under the fall deadline.

“In the logistics, they’re not even sure where land would be for these internment camps to be based,” she said. “So it seems quite unlikely that by the effective date of Oct. 1 that they’re going to be able to do what they need to do in order to comply with it.”

Martha Are, CEO of the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, echoed Fasanelli in an email to the Homeless Voice, saying she worries that the two and half months to October isn’t enough time for counties to develop more sleeping arrangements, including the “much less desirable option of sanctioned encampments outlined in the law, which some Central Florida counties have taken a stand against.”

“Without options, though, counties are now backed into a corner in which they may feel forced to arrest our unsheltered neighbors to avoid being subject to lawsuits, as HB 1365 allows,” Are said.

The camps proposed in law often only create more problems and not solutions, she continued.

“The history of such camps is fraught with problems – including sharp increases in emergency calls to police and EMS, the mixing of vulnerable populations, and exposure to extreme heat, thunderstorms and hurricanes,” Are said.

 

CONSEQUENCES OF CRIMINALIZATION

Already the looming ban has pushed Mary Stewart out of Florida. A Homeless Voice contributor and Boca Raton native who has been homeless on and off for almost 20 years, Stewart said she left her home state and moved to South Carolina because she didn’t see any other options.

“I just couldn’t afford to stay in Florida, and I couldn’t get the help that I needed, and now being homeless is about to be illegal,” she said.

She told the Homeless Voice that she worries about being in and out of jail, leading her to lose her belongings and incur fines and a criminal record.

“You’re scared to go to sleep because you’re scared to wake up in cuffs just for sleeping,” she said. “That’s what my big concern is.”

Stewart also worries the law gives people and businesses a renewed incentive to call the police on people who are unhoused because they might be able to sue and get a payout.

Stewart said the law only hurts the people it claims to help by adding more barriers to finding housing and a job.

In areas without adequate shelter, Stewart said people may be forced to stay in abusive relationships or unsafe homes to avoid being arrested. Other possibilities Stewart predicts are more people turning to the health care system for hospital stays and an increase in crime.

 

NEXT STEPS

Local efforts to comply with the law are scattered.

The City of Orlando has set aside $4 million for a low-barrier emergency shelter, but hasn’t decided on a location yet, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Other governments, like the Highlands County commissioners, are still working to figure out the potential impacts of the law and how much investment will be needed. County Attorney Sherry Sutphen told the commissioners in April that she is putting a plan together.

As one of the 29 counties falling under the legal definition of “fiscally constrained” identified in the law, Highlands County would be exempt from needing to offer health services, bathrooms or security at camping areas.

In Pinellas County, the Tampa Bay Times reported that the sheriff’s office is tracking the locations of unhoused people and compiling a list with the help of the Clearwater, Tarpon Springs, Pinellas Park and Gulfport police departments.

A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office told the Times that officers and social workers are using the list to approach homeless people to educate them and provide them with legal options.

Local advocates worry that it will be used to target people when the law goes into effect.

Are, with the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, said that arresting people will never solve homelessness.

“Not only are arrests cruel, but they also slow down a return to housing by saddling people with fines and criminal records,” she said. “In the interim, they also cost taxpayers by increasing law-enforcement duties, public defender costs and jail expenditures.”

Florida’s looming anti-camping ban deadline and the Supreme Court ruling also coincides with a rising number of unhoused people in the state.

The Homeless Services Network of Central Florida’s Point-In-Time Count from January identified nearly 1,100 unsheltered people across Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties – almost double the number counted last year.

Last year also saw Florida accounting for 5% of the country’s unhoused population at 30,756 people.

Are said the best solution to homelessness is to tackle the issue of affordable housing and lack of supply.

“We know the great majority of the people you see on our streets were last housed in our neighborhoods,” she said. “Rather than arrest them, we must build the infrastructure to keep pace with the needs of our fast-growing community, and the state of Florida needs to support the development of safe and dignified housing options.”

The post Cruel and Unusual No More appeared first on Homeless Voice.

To Live Outside: Kitty 1 Mar 2024 11:59 AM (last year)

People are unhoused in West Pam Beach for many reasons. Some have lost jobs, some have lost family — but some have escaped too.

Kitty was born and raised in Queens, New York. Her mother walked out on her and her sister when she was 3-years-old, leaving them to be raised by their father and grandmother.

“I had a great childhood. I even went to Catholic school. Everything was good. I was happy,” Kitty said.

She stayed in school until 11th grade, when she became pregnant with her oldest son. The pregnancy began her downward spiral towards addiction and homelessness.

“I loved my highschool boyfriend, but then he cheated on me and it broke my heart. He ended up marrying my sister,” Kitty remembers. “I retaliated by dating his best friend, but things were still good for a while until the domestic violence started.”

Her new boyfriend took her to Philadelphia where he began to physically abuse her. She later returned to New York where she discovered that her grandmother died, and then started abusing drugs to cope.

Her life continued to go in the wrong direction.

“I worked as a barmaid in the clubs for four years. I met many big-time drug lords and partied hard,” Kitty explained. “I was doing a lot of drugs at the time, but my son always came first before anything else.”

Then one night, while tending the bar, she met the man that would become the father of her three youngest children. “I never loved him,” only dating him for his money, she said. “He was a millionaire, and he spoiled me rotten — at first.”

The couple moved to Florida where Kitty realized that she, once again, was in an abusive relationship. She was still using drugs, but says she was a good mother — her kids always came first. But when she tried to leave her abuser, he called child services and reported her drug use.

“I spent a year in jail,” Kitty said. “When I got out, I decided enough was enough. I walked right into the woods with all the homeless people and that’s where I stayed. I finally felt free.”

Kitty lived in the woods alone for four years after she was released from jail. She had no tent, only laying a blanket on the ground to go to sleep. She supported herself through panhandling and occasionally cleaning homes — never prostituting she adds — but admitting to stealing when she needed to.

“Once I was free from the abuse, the main reason why I kept doing drugs was because I would start missing my kids and feel guilty for leaving them when I was sober,” she added. “The drugs numbed my heartache.”

Then she met her long-time boyfriend, Bigfoot. He was looking for company in a way she didn’t give out anymore, but she still agreed to hang out. Apparently, she realized, Bigfoot had a sweet spot for her because he started to bring her clothes and food to help her out.

One day, she said she was hanging out near a canal that had alligators in it and was scared to death. Bigfoot happened to show up at just the right time to escort her down the canal to safety.

Kitty didn’t feel right trying to get into a new relationship, not with living in the woods and getting high every day while Bigfoot had a beautiful apartment and a job. But the other homeless people encouraged her to give the relationship a shot as Bigfoot was willing and able to take care of her.

“He even brought money to my ex-husband to help care for my children,” she said. “I moved in with him and we’ve been together ever since, for 15 years now.”

Unfortunately, her fairytale love story didn’t end her homelessness. Bigfoot was an independent contractor and the couple moved around a lot, renting apartments or living in hotels or houses owned by clients. Each time they lost a place, they had to move back into the woods until they found somewhere else to go.

But the repeated episodes of homelessness didn’t faze Kitty. Her strong faith in something bigger than herself and a sense of purpose always kept her going.

“I loved living in the woods. It was so peaceful and God always seemed to put someone in my path that I could help. I feel like I was meant to be there,” she said. “It was beautiful: the birds, the trees, the animals. I was even able to help homeless cats.”

Kitty and Bigfoot did occasionally have periods of stability. At one point, they lived in an efficiency apartment at a motel for six years. But most of the time they were back and forth between the woods and apartments.

“Once, the cops came and kicked us out,” she explained, referencing the woods. “Another time I was caring for two elderly men, and they died. Then the last time, the house we lived in was foreclosed on without notice, and we were stuck walking back to the woods with all our belongings and a bunch of cats.”

Bigfoot finally decided to build them a makeshift home in the woods. They had a tent set up with a mattress and box spring for a bedroom, and a living area built with plywood, metal rods, and mosquito net — complete with furnishings. Their biggest reason to boast was having a bathroom, even though they had no running water.

After living in their handmade house in the woods for four years, the couple found an RV to rent. Kitty says she loves having a shower, place to cook, and an actual bed. She also now has a relationship with her children and even babysits her grandson. But she will always cherish her memories of the woods.

“I know this sounds terrible but I loved living in the woods because of the sense of peace I had and my faith in God,” Kitty explained. “I feel like I was there for a reason: to help other people. Most of them wouldn’t listen to a preacher but they’d listen to me because I could relate. We are all placed in situations for a purpose.”

Kitty encourages homeless readers to keep their heads up and find a sense of purpose in the midst of their hardship.

“If you are still homeless, don’t give up or lose hope,” she said. “There were many times when I was depressed and didn’t want to leave the woods or even wash up but I know God had a purpose for my struggles and I feel good about having the chance to help others out there on the streets.”

The post To Live Outside: Kitty appeared first on Homeless Voice.

Court Fees and the Cycle of Homelessness 28 Feb 2024 10:35 AM (last year)

The unhoused rarely have the money to pay fines, yet over and over they are ticketed, compounding problems.

By Mary Stewart

I remember the first time that the police stopped and ticketed me for panhandling on the I-95 off-ramp in West Palm Beach. The officer advised me to pay the fine to keep my license in good standing.

I didn’t take his advice. I figured that I couldn’t even afford food and housing at that time, I certainly couldn’t afford a car, and my stomach rumbled with hunger pains every day — my driver’s license was the last thing on my mind.

Now I owe about $5,000 in unpaid panhandling tickets and court fees, which continue to be held against my license.

While in Florida, I always used the Palm Tran bus. It wasn’t a big deal not having a car. Then, I moved back to rural South Carolina in 2020, and found that I had no reliable transportation without a license. I struggled to find a ride to the grocery store and doctor’s office, a job was out of the question, I even signed up with Vocational Rehabilitation but they said they couldn’t place me on a job without a driver’s license. I was stuck.

My estranged husband, Allen, is in the same boat. He currently lives at a relative’s house in South Carolina after ten years of homelessness in Florida and can’t find anyone to drive him to work or doctor’s appointments.

Neither of us have ever been pulled over or even had a speeding ticket. We simply owe money to Palm Beach County, Florida.

“Taking a man’s license cripples him. I can’t get around to do anything at all. I definitely can’t hold down a job,” Allen told me.

While license suspensions for unpaid court fees is a standard practice that impacts all Floridians — housed or unhoused — it disproportionately affects the homeless as we tend to accumulate tickets and court costs for minor offenses like panhandling, open containers and trespassing. We also have no way to pay those fines.

My initial rationale made sense at the time. I was naturally more concerned about my immediate needs than I was about driving a car. I also figured that being ticketed for pedestrian violations was cheaper and more morally sound than racking up court costs for shoplifting or other petty crimes.

My friend Tree felt the same way. He was a certified crane operator who had several prior charges for petty theft before becoming a homeless panhandler. He then realized that he’d rather ask for help than steal.

But the donations still came at a hefty price. He needed his Commercial Driver’s License to work. The panhandling tickets and subsequent loss of his license kept him trapped in a cycle of homelessness for many years. Finally, his family agreed to help him pay everything off. He now runs his own business and is doing well.

This shows how something as simple as a driver’s license can significantly change the life of a homeless person and make it possible for them to get back on their feet. Allen agrees that his license would open many doors for him as well.

“If I had my license, I could get to and from a warehouse or welding job every day,” he explained. “My brother works for a tow truck company. He could get me hired on if I was able to drive.”

However, the loss of a driver’s license means the loss of many opportunities that could improve the lives of those who are currently or formerly homeless. And if you’re sleeping outside and begging for money, those opportunities are desperately needed.

It should also be noted that being homeless doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have a car. Some unhoused people sleep in their cars, including my friends Jessica and Brett.

Since the cost of living increased, I have seen more and more people sleeping in parked cars at local plazas. For them, losing their license would mean losing their only source of shelter too.

Personally, my driver’s license suspension is keeping me stuck in Florida and on the streets. I could return to South Carolina, but doing so would leave me without job options or even transportation to the doctor or grocery store.

Last year, I reached out to a nonprofit law firm, Chainless Change, for assistance with my license. They informed me that I’d have to pay off two cases, and another could be converted to community service. The remaining cases weren’t being held against my license but could be in the future.

They also told me that I could only take care of my license in person at the Florida DMV. I’m on Supplemental Security Income, I don’t even bring in enough money to pay for food and rent. The only way to make payments on the debt is to sleep outside.

While it’s always advisable to heed the advice of an attorney or legal advocacy group, I took the initiative to conduct my own research. I discovered that proof of payment can be obtained online through Palm Beach County e-case view and that the DMV does offer the option of mailing in proof of payment and a money order for the reinstatement fee if you live out of state.

This comes as a huge relief to Allen who was planning to return to the streets of Palm Beach County to try to get his license back even though he has a home in South Carolina.

“Right now, I’m going for my disability but I’d rather work. I’m not even sure I can get my benefits without transportation. I had a doctor’s appointment for Social Security last month, but I couldn’t get there,” he said.

Many years ago, Florida judges would waive my court costs due to being on SSI, but not anymore. I now get charged fines just like anyone else. While it’s understandable that panhandling is a traffic violation — hence the tickets — withholding a homeless person’s license only further contributes to their hardship.

A few years ago, the ACLU and Southern Legal Counsel filed a lawsuit on behalf of a homeless man in Ocala whose license was suspended due to unpaid court fees on two ordinance violation cases.

The judge ruled that licenses can only be suspended due to criminal acts, not ordinance violations. Almost 13,000 people have had their driver’s licenses reinstated as a result of this case.

The constitutionality of panhandling tickets and court costs for charges that are unfairly levied against the homeless is also questionable. Palm Beach County rescinded their panhandling ordinance after it was challenged due to the vast majority of offenders being homeless and thus violating the Equal Protection Clause.

I was ticketed for panhandling on the highway off-ramp for being a pedestrian on a limited access facility. I doubt many people hang out on off-ramps besides road workers, stranded motorists and homeless people.

It would be safe to make an educated guess that most people who violate that traffic law are also homeless. And yet, we are still being held responsible for paying those traffic tickets and court costs.

Ideally, court costs should be waived or community service should be ordered in lieu of fines for those who are struggling financially, including the homeless and those receiving government assistance.

Suspending a homeless person’s license only makes it harder for them to get a job and a place to live. And without a job, how does the state expect the fines to ever be paid?

The post Court Fees and the Cycle of Homelessness appeared first on Homeless Voice.

Violent Rhetoric Puts Florida’s Unhoused At Risk 20 Feb 2024 1:44 AM (last year)

Politicians and community members often put Florida’s unhoused at risk by perpetuating harmful, and sometimes violent, rhetoric.

By Robert Davis

Violence against homeless people in Florida has reached epic proportions, and some advocates say the rhetoric spewed by public leaders and community members is making the issue worse.

Attacks against the unhoused are not new and they have been happening in greater frequency across the country at a time when homelessness is increasing, and the rising cost of living is threatening to put more people out onto the streets. Florida’s legislature added “homelessness” to a list of protected classes under the state’s hate crime statutes in 2010, four years after one of the state’s most memorable attacks against the homeless community.

In 2006, two teenagers were arrested for killing a homeless man with a baseball bat and viciously beating two others. Two years later, the duo were initially sentenced to life in prison but their sentence was reduced to 40 years in 2012 after the Supreme Court ruled that courts cannot sentence minors to life in prison under the mandatory sentencing guidelines.

However, the heightened legal pressure has not reduced incidents of violence against homeless people in Florida. The state recorded 261 violent incidents against homeless people in between 2000 and 2020, which was the second-most in the nation, according to a study from the National Coalition for the Homeless.

One incident the organization highlighted occurred in a Miami Publix where a security guard was filmed beating a homeless man for allegedly stealing a sandwich.

“No one is above the law and no one should act as judge, jury and executioner especially in a matter of a $5 chicken sandwich,” the organization said in a press release.

These attacks don’t happen in a vacuum. Instead, they are bred by these politicians who use “tough on crime” rhetoric to try and scare homeless people into accepting inadequate services and shelter placements.

Antagonists routinely justify their attacks by arguing that the unhoused make them feel unsafe, which is a line that some politicians like New York Mayor Eric Adams and San Francisco Mayor London Breed parrot publicly.

 

Bathrooms and showers do nothing but sustain homelessness. It keeps folks out on the streets. It does nothing to end it.

 

To advocates like Eric Tars, senior policy director for the National Homelessness Law Center, there is a clear connection between the dehumanizing rhetoric politicians use and violent acts committed against the unhoused.

“We called attention to the fact that Mayor Adams was using this dehumanizing and provocative rhetoric and aligning himself with folks who are actively trying to create the conditions whereby people can be rounded up, put into camps, arrested, and forced to endure various forms of state-sanctioned violence, as well as tacitly permitting individuals to use vigilante forms of violence against people experiencing homelessness,” Tars told Invisible People, referring to the death of Jordan Neely.

“Other influential leaders, like former President Donald Trump, are committing the same egregious offense,” Tars continued.

When those threats fail, oftentimes vigilantes take matters into their own hands under the guise of protecting their community.

Neely was a 30-year-old Black man who was choked to death by a former marine named Daniel Penny on the New York Subway in May 2023. Penny defended his actions by arguing that other riders felt unsafe in Neely’s presence, CBS4 New York reported.

The Miami Homeless Trust, which leads the Miami-Dade County continuum of care, has played up the service-resistant narrative to oppose policies such as opening more public restrooms in the county.

“Bathrooms and showers do nothing but sustain homelessness. It keeps folks out on the streets. It does nothing to end it,” Ron Book, the chairman of the Miami Homeless Trust, told the Miami New Times in 2020.

Arguments that suggest homeless people are service resistant rely on the assumption that homelessness is a personal or moral failing rather than a social or cultural failure. However, these arguments overlook the fact that most people who become homeless cite relationship issues like losing a loved one or a divorce as the main reason for their homelessness, not their religious or moral affiliations.

This rhetoric can also discourage unhoused people from accepting available shelter and services, according to Crisis, a U.K.-based homeless service nonprofit. For instance, Crisis says many people view homelessness through an individualistic lens that focus on personal or moral failings to explain an individual’s predicament.

Crisis added that advocates should be focusing on addressing the cultural shortcomings and policy gaps that make spells of homelessness last longer than it should in the first place. Some gaps that could be addressed include reducing barriers to enter supportive housing like having an identification or entering a substance abuse treatment program.

Breed implicitly invoked an individualistic framing of homelessness when she said in December about 60% of San Francisco’s unhoused who were contacted by local outreach workers refused services or shelter, The Messenger reported.

“This is why enforcing our laws is important. Our laws are for the health and safety of everyone,” Breed said. “There are public safety challenges around encampments. There are threats of fire.”

However, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California has accused San Francisco of using these arguments to justify using police to remove encampments when services and shelter are not available. This is prohibited under Martin v. Boise, a 2018 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit saying anti-camping ordinances cannot be enforced if there is not enough shelter beds for the unhoused.

Researchers at Colorado University’s Anschutz Medical School found that encampment cleanup operations, sometimes referred to as sweeps, could contribute up to 25% of the deaths of unhoused people who use drugs and are continuously displaced over a 10-year period.

“Yes, we have a serious homelessness problem in San Francisco. But forcing people who have no access to shelter to move from block to block is not the answer,” ACLU senior staff attorney John Do said in a press release.

The post Violent Rhetoric Puts Florida’s Unhoused At Risk appeared first on Homeless Voice.

Homelessness Rises to Greatest Height Since 2007 15 Feb 2024 1:45 AM (last year)

Rent, hurricanes, and the pandemic have led to a massive increase in homelessness across Florida and the country.

By Andrew Fraieli

In the face of rising rent costs, hurricane damages, and the ending of pandemic era funding, Florida has found itself once again sitting in the top three states for largest population of people experiencing homelessness as the country sees its highest since 2007.

According to the newly released Annual Homelessness Assessment Report by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, the number of unhoused people in the country went up by almost 80,000 people since the year before — a 12% increase — reaching about 653,000 people total. This broke down to about 60% being in either emergency shelter or transitional housing, and the other 40% being unsheltered, such as on the streets or living in their car.

Every year HUD collects data from local homeless services coordinating bodies called Continuums of Care, or CoCs, who go out one night in January to count how many people are living unsheltered, in what is called a Point-in-Time count. HUD then combines this with the known number of people in the shelter system across the country for a total number of people experiencing homelessness.

Many CoCs in 2021 did not report unsheltered homelessness due to pandemic concerns and restrictions, but the report highlights that the pandemic did directly influence a drop in sheltered homelessness between 2020 and 2021 with the numbers increasing again in 2022 as “pandemic era restrictions were lifted and eviction moratoria began to end.”

These same reasons are partially what led to Florida’s almost 20% increase in homelessness, or about 5,000 people, since last year.

The report states that several communities with historically low shelter-bed availability blamed the expiration of pandemic-related funding for the increase in their unsheltered population. Others on the west coast said the effects of Hurricane Ian, which destroyed over 19,000 structures according to the state Office of Insurance Regulation, are still being felt and are noticeable in their statistics as it happened only months before the point-in-time count.

Housing costs are another issue that communities in central Florida specifically blamed, saying in the report that “evictions have become far more common leaving people with no place to go.” Rent costs and evictions have been talked about extensively in Orange County months before their homeless count as the county had rent control on their ballot.

The ballot initiative was made moot eventually by a Florida Senate bill that, among purposes, banned municipalities from enacting rent control.

Still other communities, like Miami, reported the over 200,000 migrants into the city over the last year as a reason for an increase in homelessness, “with few housing options and minimal support networks for the new arrivals,” according to the report.

Across the board, Florida holds 5% of the total unhoused population in the U.S., or 30,756 people, behind only New York with 16% and California with 28%. Florida also has some of the highest rates of unsheltered homelessness in the country per county, with Hendry, Hardee, and Highlands Counties sitting at 88% behind only Jackson, Tennessee with 91%.

More broadly across the country, Black people continued to be overrepresented for their national population, making up 37% of those experiencing homelessness but only 13% of the country. Transgender and other gender non-conforming people were similar, increasing by 31% over last year, or about 800 people.

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Homelessness in Winter 13 Feb 2024 1:33 AM (last year)

Even the mild winters in Florida can bring challenges of survival with the wind and rain.

By Mary Stewart

Florida is notorious for its stifling heat and mild winters, with some homeless people moving to the state for this year round warm weather. But these mild winters can still get cold enough to cause hypothermia, the flu and pneumonia for the homeless.

Last year, the temperature dropped to 23 degrees on Christmas Eve in Central Florida — low enough to potentially cause hypothermia in those who lack a heat source.

Although hypothermia — the malfunctioning of the heart, brain, and kidneys due to dropping body-temperature — is more common when temperatures drop below freezing, this life threatening condition can claim victims when the weather is just above 40 degrees due to wind-chill or rain. And in Florida, nighttime winter temperatures can consistently be in that range.

I have never personally known a fellow homeless person that has been impacted by hypothermia, but that doesn’t take away the possibility for the homeless to die of cold in the Sunshine State. I’ve more commonly seen homeless Floridians fall ill with the flu or pneumonia in the winter, having had the flu once myself while homeless in December, and despite being vaccinated.

Fortunately, my Medicaid paid for Tami-flu and my symptoms were short lived. But most homeless people are uninsured and have no choice but to let the virus take its course.

I’ve also had pneumonia twice. Once in January, and I had to be hospitalized for a week. My other bout oddly occurred during the month of July.

Kitty, who was homeless for many years, also seemed to get sick in the summer. She recalls her fight to stay warm in the winter.

“Lots of blankets and lots of hot chocolate — that’s how I stayed warm and cozy. I actually liked the winters because I had the opportunity to help others stay warm, too. Many of my friends didn’t have a tent or blanket or even a jacket. I was able to share mine with them. I even helped the animals in the winter,” she told me.

I’m more of a coffee person and was always a frequent Dunkin Donuts customer in the winter. In retrospect, my cardboard sign should’ve said ‘Need a hot cup of coffee’ instead of ‘Hungry’ during the winter because that’s what much of my panhandling money went to.

Hot chocolate and tea are more cost-efficient hot beverages to keep the homeless warm throughout winter, though. Instant hot cocoa packets and tea bags can be bought with food stamps, and many convenient stores offer free hot water.

Allen was also homeless on and off since the age of 18. Before moving to Florida, he struggled to survive below freezing temperatures in Kentucky and the Carolinas.

“I’d usually try to find a large cardboard box — like one of those refrigerator boxes — and fill it with blankets. I’d also layer my clothing. I would wear a smaller jacket with a thick jacket or hoodie over it. Sometimes, if it was too cold, I’d sleep in my buddy’s car or in his basement.”

When it came to wintertime, homelessness in Florida was a much needed relief for Allen. 

“I didn’t come to Florida because of the weather,” he said. “My wife is from Florida. But winters weren’t an issue anymore. I’d just build a campfire and cover up with blankets in my tent when it got cold. But the summers were way too hot.”

Imagine wearing soaked clothing outdoors when the temperature drops between 40 and 60 degrees. I was shivering and freezing cold.

 

Allen and Kitty bring up some important points. Blankets and jackets are a must for homeless people in the winter — even in Florida. Sadly, much of our local unhoused population is lacking those items.

Often, blankets and clothing are stolen by other homeless people out of need. Other times, they are discarded by property maintenance. But one of the biggest issues with holding onto those necessities is the rain.

The spring and summer months are more known as theFlorida rainy season, with the winter seen as mostly dry, but it does still rain in the winter — just not as much.

I’ve usually had a tent where I’d store my blankets and extra clothes. I’m very good at stashing my belongings and only dealt with my stash spots and camps being discovered a few times. Even so, I would often get caught in the rain during the winter leaving my socks, jeans, and sweater soaking wet.

Imagine wearing soaked clothing outdoors when the temperature drops between 40 and 60 degrees. I was shivering and freezing cold. Sometimes my stuff would be stored in trash bags and also become damp or my tent would leak, leaving my extra items almost as wet as what I was wearing.

There were times when I had nothing dry to change into, nor did I have a dry blanket to cover up. Trust me, I was miserable. I recall one time when this happened, and a church group happened to bring out socks and blankets — I had never been so grateful.

Campfires are a common heat source for the homeless when the weather gets cold. But it can also present a fire hazard for surrounding homes. One time, my friend Rooster lit a candle in his makeshift tent, and the woods caught on fire. Thankfully, I was there with my phone and was able to call the fire department.

If a tiny candle could cause a fire, building a bonfire at one’s camp for warmth is even more dangerous. It should also be noted that fires create smoke, and smoke draws attention to your camp.

Now, I have used small charcoal grills for cooking and warmth while homeless. The fire was more contained at least. I’d keep the grill a few feet from my tent and away from the brush to prevent a fire. But it didn’t stop nearby homeowners from calling the authorities and complaining.

Since then, I started cooking with a single burner propane stove that doesn’t create smoke. It’s been easier to stay under the radar but does nothing for warmth. In the end, I guess winter survival does boil down to hot cocoa, blankets, and jackets.

As far as winter illness, emergency rooms will treat you if you are uninsured and can perform nose swab tests for the flu and pneumonia. Sometimes, they’ll admit you if you have pneumonia but will usually recommend over the counter remedies for the flu if you are uninsured.

Publix no longer offers free antibiotics, but you can often purchase some prescription drugs at a relatively affordable price at Walmart or with a GoodRx coupon. If you live in Palm Beach County, you can apply for Healthcare District or visit Foundcare, which is a local low-income health center.

Although hypothermia doesn’t seem to be prevalent in Florida, it’s still a very real and very dangerous health risk for homeless Floridians. During the winter, homeless people should try to stay informed on approaching cold fronts and arrange to go to a Red Cross cold shelter when the temperature drops too low.

Florida does have milder winters than most states, but that doesn’t mean that homeless people get a free pass when it comes to winter illnesses. We desperately need jackets, blankets, and sock donations. Wintertime is also a season in which tents suffice better for shelter than a shopping plaza or bus stop.

Red Cross cold shelters are a godsend should the temperature drop below freezing, however, homeless people still need to be careful even if the temperature is only down to the 40s.

All things aside, homeless Floridians still have the upper hand when it comes to winter survival compared to our Northern counterparts. Just stock up on that hot cocoa and start gathering those blankets to prepare for the cooler temperatures. And always be ready to help a fellow homeless friend stay warm. Who knows? Doing so may save their life.

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A Lacking of Mental Healthcare in West Palm Beach 25 Oct 2023 8:11 PM (last year)

Mental healthcare access for the homeless is few and far between.

By Mary Stewart

You may have seen her. I do not know her name, I just call her the umbrella woman. She lives at bus stops or on benches in shopping plazas, and hides behind her giant umbrella. I tried to talk to her a few times, only for her to chase me away while swinging the umbrella at me. She has called me the devil for wearing shorts and has told me that she does not want me in her area because I smoke cigarettes. Once, I called the police officers to do a welfare check on her as she was obviously battling mental illness, but there was nothing that they could do because she was not a danger to herself or others.

Sadly, she is not alone.

Since the closure of the Jerome Golden Center for Behavioral Health in West Palm Beach in late 2019, I have noticed a steady increase in mentally ill homeless people in southern Palm Beach County.

I am not being judgmental. On the contrary, I feel nothing but compassion and empathy as I have a mental illness myself. I am also overwhelmingly frustrated with the system and the lack of mental health care for low-income Palm Beach County residents.

South County Mental Health Center in Delray Beach is currently the only non-profit community mental health center in the area. I have been a client there myself and must say that I was satisfied with the outpatient psychiatric care that they offered. They also have an in-patient crisis stabilization unit. Their website claims that they offer additional services, such as residential housing and a day treatment program with a “robust” substance abuse component, but I was never offered any of those services despite my extensive mental health and substance abuse history.

Overall, I have nothing bad to say about South County except for the fact that we need more than one community mental health center. I still have not figured out where the former Jerome Golden clients went. I suspect that many are now South County clients — though South County hadn’t responded before publishing time as to whether this was true — whereas some may have moved down to Broward County and others are sleeping on benches like the umbrella woman.

There are a handful of outpatient psychiatrists and individual therapists who accept Medicaid, including Multilingual Psychotherapy and Community Partners, but those providers do not offer the comprehensive services needed by the severely mentally ill. It should also be noted that most homeless people are uninsured and need sliding scale care — a form of payment that adjusts to the ability of someone to pay, possibly down to no pay at all.

Found Care, a low-income health center based in Palm Springs, has begun offering sliding scale behavioral health services, but many people are unaware of this resource. Although Found Care has been my primary care physician for many years, they only recently gave me an internal behavioral health referral.

The closure of Jerome Golden has resulted in a major loss to the community. Patients of their hospital — the only nonprofit psychiatric hospital in the county that accepted low-income or uninsured patients — as well as those living in their residential facilities had to leave with only a few months’ notice. As a former client, I was displeased with some of their common practices, but I will admit that Jerome Golden provided affordable housing, case management, day treatment, dual diagnosis care, and even contingency funds when there was dire financial need.

 

Dual diagnosis, which is the presence of both a mental health and substance abuse disorder, is even harder to treat and the services are almost non-existent in Palm Beach County.

 

With regards to mental illness, some clients can suffice with just periodic medication clinic visits while others need comprehensive care. Additionally, many mental health clients struggle to survive on Supplemental Security Income and need affordable independent living. But right now, I think the need is greater than the services currently available.

Dual diagnosis, which is the presence of both a mental health and substance abuse disorder, is even harder to treat and the services are almost non-existent in Palm Beach County. Even if you only have a substance abuse disorder, treatment options for the low-income and uninsured are dwindling in the county. A few of the major non-profit substance abuse treatment centers, such as Gratitude House, PANDA, and CARP also closed their doors around the same time as Jerome Golden.

Currently, the Drug Abuse Foundation is the only county-funded treatment center in the area. While they do not refuse services due to the inability to pay, they have refused to accept me, during my last pregnancy, due to my mental health history. Once, they even refused to accept me with a civil court order. Twice, they did accept me with a family court order, only to medically discharge me.

The only place that welcomed me despite my mental health issues was Village for Change, but they have an insanely long waiting list and will only accept people who are already clean and sober. That misses the entire point of treatment. If you do not have a funding source, you will be waiting a long time for a bed.

Even the handful of non-profit treatment centers left in Palm Beach County refuse dually diagnosed clients. Faith Farm and the Salvation Army Center of Hope are suitable places for local homeless addicts to seek treatment, but both facilities turned me away because I was on psychotropic medications, though their policies may have changed since then. Wayside House is a private women’s treatment center with a few indigent beds, but they medically discharged me as well, claiming they lack the mental health capacity to care for the dually diagnosed.

If you are low-income and mentally ill in Palm Beach County, you will need to make do with whatever services South County has available unless you have Medicaid or get hooked up with Found Care. And if you have a co-occurring substance abuse disorder, you are screwed unless you can get sober through twelve-step meeting attendance alone.

I gave up on receiving dual diagnosis treatment a long time ago. Fortunately, I do have Medicaid and have been able to continue to see a psychiatrist every three months for medication refills. I have been medically discharged from both DAF and Wayside House due to my mental health issues. Last year, South County refused to prescribe my medication until I sought help for my binge drinking, but nowhere would accept me for treatment. That policy must have changed as I went back to South County this year and had no problem getting my medication.

Many homeless programs throughout the nation have started using the Housing First model which prioritizes getting the homeless off the streets over referring them to services needed to address the underlying causes of homelessness. Contrary to widespread belief, not all homeless people are addicts or mentally ill, however, those issues are common amongst the homeless population.

I am currently in the Rapid Rehousing transitional program. Overall, I am doing well in my apartment, but I started to hit the bottle hard after I lost my job at my favorite fast-food joint and found out that my SSI benefits were being drastically reduced because I was employed for a month. I admit that I partied harder than I ever did before as I faced losing my home over my life-long disability and failed attempt at employment.

One homeless friend of mine  — who is not dually diagnosed, but does struggle with substance abuse — has expressed his frustrations to me: “Everyone should have access to quality substance abuse treatment regardless of their ability to pay.” Unfortunately, in Palm Beach County, recovery is one more privilege of the elite. If you have money and private insurance, you will have no issue with getting the help that you need. But if you are homeless and broke, you will be lucky to make it onto a long waiting list.

I am grateful for the Housing First model. If I had been required to get mental health and substance abuse counseling prior to being placed in an apartment, I would have never made it off the streets. Then again, here I am in my apartment being pushed to focus on employment and paying rent with a total disregard for the underlying issues that have contributed to my chronic homelessness.

The help is still out there in Palm Beach County, but there are fewer options available, and you will need to jump through hoops and wait a long time for a bed. If you are homeless with a mental illness, South County will at least get you stabilized on the right medication, if nothing else.

I have heard that CARP has re-opened as a twelve-step focused halfway house. Fern House is another option for men. I do not know much about their program, but I have met a few men that have gotten clean there. The Family Center for Recovery in Lantana now accepts Medicaid clients and specializes in dual diagnosis. I went there once but was creeped out by the techs in white lab coats. It is a good comprehensive program for dually diagnosed Medicaid recipients, though.

We still need more mental health and substance abuse services in Palm Beach County. Mentally ill residents should not need to be sleeping on benches hiding behind umbrellas, nor should anyone be denied substance abuse services because of a mental illness, lack of private insurance, or the amount of money in their pocket.

 

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Florida’s Homelessness Increases Again 24 Oct 2023 2:00 AM (last year)

Florida has once again found itself leading the country in homelessness with an almost 20% increase from last year

By McKenna Harford

Homelessness in Florida is up 19% in 2023 compared to last year, with more than 30,000 unhoused people across the state.

According to the annual report from Florida’s Council on Homelessness, the 2023 Point in Time count found 30,809 unhoused people, with more than half of them being unsheltered. The Point in Time count provides an estimation for the number of people, both sheltered and unsheltered, in the state based on a count during one night in January.

The report found that Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties, where Hurricane Ian caused significant damage, saw homelessness go up 70% from 2022. Additionally, rising rents and a lack of housing supply during a time of increasing population continue to contribute significantly to increasing homelessness.
“Supply and demand being fundamental market factors, this is causing housing costs to increase at extraordinary rates,” council chairperson Shannon Nazworth said in a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis. “That factor, coupled with population growth, has significantly increased pressure on the rental housing market.”

Despite already having the highest percentage of rent-burdened residents in the country, Florida rents went up an average of $170 between January 2022 and January 2023.

Of the people experiencing homelessness, 51% are unsheltered, 24% are families, 28% are older than 55, 15% are 18 or younger and 20% are chronically homeless. Florida’s numbers follow a national trend of increasing homelessness year over year since 2017, per the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Other contributing factors the report names include a decline over the last five years in available shelter beds, the return of evictions following the pause during the pandemic and community aversion to dense housing projects, known as a “Not in My Backyard” mentality.

To tackle homelessness in Florida, the report recommends four actions: promote collaboration between services; leverage federal funding for developing housing and expanding supportive services; continue to support Housing First programs; and encourage and incentivize local government to build affordable housing.

“Housing First is an evidence-based best practice helping households move into stable permanent housing as quickly as possible,” the report says. “This approach is guided by the belief that people need basic necessities like food and a place to live before attending to anything less critical, such as getting a job, budgeting properly, or attending to substance use issues.”

Earlier this year, DeSantis signed into law the Live Local Act, which dedicates $700 million to affordable housing solutions. The state legislature also approved $16.8 million in grants for rental assistance and permanent supportive housing.

The council’s report thanks the state for the investments, which it says will be crucial to addressing the housing crisis, and encouraged further state support, citing a 2021 needs assessment that estimates it would cost over $36 billion to build the number of supportive and affordable housing units needed in the state.

“The Council recognizes the achievements of Florida in affordable housing funding and acknowledges the importance of continuing to build upon these successes,” the report says. “However, it is imperative the State of Florida dedicate sufficient resources to address the pressing issue of housing affordability for extremely low-income households, those experiencing homelessness, and persons with special needs. The lack of housing affordable to those households not only poses a significant challenge for vulnerable populations but also impacts the overall well-being of communities.”

The report is also hopeful that the Live Local Act will remove some of the zoning and land use regulation barriers that existed for building affordable housing by allowing mixed-use residential and multi-family housing in commercial, industrial and some mixed-use areas, so long as 40% of the units are income-restricted for at least 30 years.

Threading through the report’s recommendations is the theme of collaboration between government on all levels and nonprofit resources working on housing and homelessness solutions.

“A person should not have to solely rely on the homelessness system of care to address their housing stability needs; instead housing instability and risk of homelessness should be discovered and addressed upon entry into many systems of care, so that appropriate resources can be paired with the household needing assistance immediately, decreasing their likelihood of falling into longterm homelessness,” it says.

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Florida Anti-Feeding Ordinances Won’t Deter Good Samaritans 23 Oct 2023 7:58 AM (last year)

West Palm Beach, among other towns and cities across the state, have been trying to stop organizations from feeding the homeless

By Robert Davis

A spate of laws in Florida that are designed to prevent people from feeding the unhoused won’t deter good Samaritans from helping those in need, advocates say.

Cities ranging from West Palm Beach to Lakeland have ordinances on the books that limit the number of people that service organizations can feed. These ordinances also seek to limit where service organizations can feed people and levy fines and threaten jail time against those who continue feeding people after receiving a written warning. While some courts have said that similar ordinances are unconstitutional, advocates say cities continue to put these ordinances in place to hide visible poverty from tourists in the state.

We Care About People, an organization that has been feeding local homeless people for several years, is one group that recently sparred with the City of West Palm Beach over its anti-feeding ordinance. In May, Canta Chestnut, the group’s organizer, was given a formal warning by West Palm Beach police officers for feeding local homeless people. Chestnut told the Homeless Voice that she suspects West Palm Beach is really trying to force homeless people away from parks and other places where tourists gather.

The latest point in time count found more than 1,800 people experiencing homelessness in Palm Beach County, which is the highest total the county has recorded since 2011. Among those people, only 650 were in some sort of shelter while more than 1,100 were living unsheltered.

“The waterfront is West Palm Beach’s creme-de-la-creme, and so they don’t want tourists and the elite to see the visible blight of homelessness,” Chestnut said. “But the city doesn’t provide any services to help them get off the street. We don’t even have a shelter in West Palm Beach.”

Feeding the homeless has been a controversial topic since at least 2007 when the National Coalition for the Homeless published a report that found several of the largest cities in the U.S. have ordinances that criminalize sharing food. For example, an ordinance in Orlando prohibited people from serving groups of 25 people or more without a permit. However, the city only issued two permits per year. People who violated the ordinance could be punished by a fine of up to $500 or 60 days in jail.

Cities ranging from Atlanta, Georgia to Portland, Oregon have similar ordinances on their books. While advocates have sued to have these ordinances overturned, the courts have not been consistent in their rulings on the ordinances. A federal judge in 2008 ruled that Orlando’s anti-feeding ordinance was unconstitutional, but an 11th Circuit Court of Appeals panel overturned the ruling three years later.

In August, a group called Food Not Bombs, which provides meals for the homeless four times per week,  convinced a Houston judge that the city was using the ordinance to target charitable organizations. The law was originally passed in 2012, but the city didn’t enforce the law until it targeted a Food Not Bombs distribution, an organizer named Nick Cooper told the Associated Press. 

“This law that the city has passed is absurd. It criminalizes the Samaritan for giving,” lawyer Paul Kubosh, who represented Food Not Bombs, told local news station KPRC 2 after the verdict. 

Some legal scholars trace the roots of the controversy over feeding the homeless to a 9th Circuit ruling in United States v. Millis. In the case, a man named Daniel Millis was arrested for leaving full gallon-sized water bottles in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge to prevent migrants from dying of dehydration while they tried to cross the border into the U.S. The court ruled in 2010 that Millis’ actions were protected because the federal anti-littering statute that he was charged under was too broad. However, this ruling left avenues for cities to restrict charitable giving to homeless and indigent populations, according to an article in the Boston College Third World Law Review.

It is difficult to gauge how Florida’s anti-feeding ordinance enforcement compares with other states. Even so, Chestnut said she has been fighting back against West Palm Beach officials who say the ordinance is needed to protect public health and safety. Chestnut has spoken at several city council meetings since the May encounter and told local officials that she doesn’t plan to stop feeding the homeless any time soon.

“It’s getting ridiculous with all the hoops the city wants us to jump through just to give food to homeless people,” Chestnut said. “Each time I talk to them, I say the law infringes upon my sincerely held religious beliefs as a Christian woman.”

Despite the legal hurdles, Chestnut said there are ways for service organizations to continue feeding the homeless. For instance, she said she will bring a roll of 22 tickets with her to feeding events. Once she runs out of tickets, Chestnut said she will get in her car and drive around the block before coming back to distribute the rest of the meals she prepared.

She also said that service organizations should prepackage the food they are distributing because of the way the ordinances are written. This allows service organizations to distribute fresh and nutritious food as well.

“Everyone of these politicians put their hand on the bible before taking their oath of office,” Chestnut said. “But it seems like none of them have actually cracked the book open and read the word of God.”

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Why Homeless People Need Smartphones Too 25 Aug 2023 1:00 AM (last year)

From getting shelter to applying for jobs, cellphones have taken over as the way to get basic services — and get out of homelessness.

By Mary Stewart

I’ve often been judged for being homeless with a cell phone, but the fact is that cellphones are a worthwhile and necessary investment for the homeless.

While most of the outreach ministries insist that you go to their location to seek services, many of them only provide services on certain days at specific times or require you to make an appointment.

It’s usually wise to call ahead of time to find out their hours and whether they ask for documentation, so you don’t make a wasted trip.  In order to do that, you need access to a phone.

In Palm Beach County, almost all homeless services are funneled through the Lewis Center. A few months ago, I called them to try to line up shelter for my friends who were being run out of their camps.

I was told that they would have to call and leave a message and a navigator would return their call within forty-eight hours to assess them. I was also informed that the Lewis Center had no beds available and that- if approved for shelter- they would receive an additional call once the center had a bed.

The frustrating part is that most of my friends didn’t have a cell phone and I don’t hang out in that area much. The ones who did have a phone struggled to find an outlet to charge it. So, how can they possibly obtain homeless services?

Obviously, they need a cell phone and access to an outlet.

I’m currently working with the Rapid Rehousing program, which provides funding for move-in costs and a short-term rental subsidy. At my initial intake appointment, I had to sign papers acknowledging the program requirements. One of the requirements is to have a working phone throughout your participation in the program.

If a homeless person doesn’t have a cell phone, they can still go to Boca Helping Hands for a free meal or head down to St. Ann’s place for a bag lunch and a shower. They can still check themselves into detox at the Drug Abuse Foundation or go to a hospital, if needed.

But even though homeless people can survive on a day to day basis without a phone, there are few options for obtaining shelter and overcoming homelessness in the absence of a phone.

Many people feel as though the answer to homelessness is a job – and that is true in some cases. However, it’s common for homeless people to be disabled or struggle with other issues, such as mental illness, substance abuse, or domestic violence, that need to be addressed.

Regarding those who are willing and able to work, they need to have a contact number for employers to reach them. Even if they are placed in a shelter or halfway house, they need to get a job to maintain housing as the Lewis Center only provides ninety days of shelter and Changing Lives funds a mere sixty days in a halfway house.

Day labor is the only other option, but many homeless people don’t camp near the labor pool and you have to be there very early. You also need to have an ID, Social Security card, and work boots. Although day labor income definitely helps, job availability is limited, and the work isn’t steady enough to maintain housing.

As for those with disabilities, they need a working phone to keep in touch with doctors and the Social Security office. Phone interviews are often required to obtain benefits, including food stamps and SSI. They also need a phone to schedule doctors appointments and call 911 in the event of a medical emergency or behavioral health crisis.

If a homeless person struggles with drug addiction or alcoholism, they need a phone to be contacted when a bed is available in a treatment program and to keep in touch with members of twelve step programs. It’s strongly suggested at recovery meetings that those seeking sobriety get phone numbers and call supportive people before picking up a drink.

Safety is another reason why it’s important for homeless people to have a cell phone. Florida has one of the highest rates of homeless victimization. If a homeless person is in imminent danger, they need to be able to call for help. This is especially true for homeless domestic violence survivors.

Some of the uses of cell phones may sound frivolous or unnecessary but make homelessness more bearable. Homeless people don’t have televisions and portable radios have become almost impossible to find. Cell phones offer a source of entertainment for homeless people.

You really don’t need a subscription to Netflix or Hulu to enjoy movies or TV shows online. Homeless people can stream their favorite movies or shows for free with Tubi or Pluto. They can also jam out on YouTube or IHeart radio. Everyone needs to have a way to relax and unwind- even a homeless person.

If you live indoors, most likely, you mainly use your phone as a way to connect with others.  Although cell phones are now used for every purpose under the sun, their primary purpose is still human connection.

Nowadays, much of that connection is done through social media and text messages, but phones are still a means to connect with loved ones, doctors, employers, and even those overseas Facebook friends who you’ve never met in person and probably never will.

And it’s no different for a homeless person. Many of us are estranged from our families but may still talk to that one relative who refuses to give up on us. If not, we use our cell phones to keep in touch with each other.

Some of us even use social media apps- just not to post selfies or brag about our great life. When one of our friends relocates, gets off the street, or loses their phone, we often use social media to keep in touch.

We’ll also sometimes look up the profiles of loved ones who we haven’t seen in years just to see their picture and find out how they’re doing.

Even though we use our phones to watch TV, listen to music, Google resources, and connect on Facebook, these few things can be done without a phone, thanks to our public library system.

For some homeless people, the library is their go-to hang out spot; others never reap the benefits of the library system simply because reading really isn’t their thing.

But the library is a great place to put in online applications, create a resume, check your Facebook, or even watch a movie on YouTube while your cell phone charges. Most libraries do have outlets and will let you sit there as long as you need to provided you’re quiet.

If you don’t camp near a library, I’d recommend taking the bus or riding your bike to one and stay for a couple hours. You can relax in the air conditioning, read a magazine, go online, and apply for jobs and benefits.

Even if you don’t have a contact number, you can always list an email address, so employers have a way to reach you.

Although homeless people can still enjoy a hot meal at a soup kitchen and use the computers at the library without having a cell phone, the lack of one places them at a disadvantage. The Lewis Center requires phone interviews, and they don’t email you when they have a bed. They call.

While many employers email applicants to schedule interviews, listing a contact number is mandatory on some online applications. If you try to skip over that question, you’ll usually get an error message saying that it’s a required field.

If you’re homeless and looking for a way to obtain an affordable cell phone, you can apply for the Affordable Connectivity Program.You will need to either provide proof of receiving SSI, Medicaid, or food stamps or obtain a copy of your SEQY from your local Social Security office as proof of income or lack thereof.

Alternatively, you can go to Walmart and shop for a reasonably priced prepaid phone. Metro PCS has started to get relatively expensive for a homeless person’s budget, however, Boost Mobile has started advertising $10 basic plans.

If you aren’t homeless and happen to hear the ringing of a phone coming from a panhandler’s backpack or purse, please don’t judge them. Having a cell phone doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re a fraud.

On the other hand, it means that part of their panhandling money is going towards a valuable investment that’s needed for them to better their life.

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To Weather a Hurricane 21 Aug 2023 9:23 AM (last year)

Hurricane season is upon us. With it comes the dangers of losing your home, and figuring out what to do when you never had one.

By Mary Stewart

I still remember Hurricane Wilma as clearly as if it had blown through Palm Beach County yesterday. The news predicted that the storm would lose strength after making landfall on the West Coast and moving across land. No one was prepared for a Category 3 direct hit.

However, my natural inclination to worry and overreact led me to spend all my food stamps on bottled water and non-perishable foods. Even so, I remained in my mobile home instead of going to a Red Cross shelter.

My trailer shook violently as I listened to the radio, drank Starbucks Frappuccino, and prayed. I heard the whistling of the wind and the pounding of the raindrops against my tin roof. Then, all was quiet. I stood at my kitchen window and watched the calm eye of the storm pass right over me.

The radio newscaster warned that the second band would be much worse. My life hung in the balance as my trailer tipped to the side and slammed back down on the concrete blocks. I was petrified. My kitchen window broke and palm fronds blew inside along with rain and other debris. Finally, it was over. I had survived.

My trailer was badly damaged. There was a gaping hole in the roof over my hallway closet and the pipes had come loose. I reported the damages to FEMA. They agreed that my home was no longer livable but said the damages could be repaired. They only compensated me for the loss of personal property.

I didn’t know about escrow accounts or my legal right to temporarily withhold rent. My boyfriend insisted that I shouldn’t continue to pay to live there. I wanted to stay, but I was a foolish and naive young girl who followed behind my wayward older boyfriend.

I moved to a motel and spent my FEMA money on a room. Housing instability made it impossible to focus on college and I ended up not meeting the standards of academic progress that semester. As a result, I lost my financial aid. Since I had a work study position, I also lost my job.

After my FEMA money was gone, I slept on the floor at the Westgate Tabernacle Church with the countless others who had also become homeless as a result of hurricanes that hit that year. My very first cardboard sign said, “Just became homeless due to Wilma. Please help.” That was in 2005. I was only 24 years old.

My initial episode of homelessness may have been avoidable had I made better decisions following the storm. Looking back, I should’ve consulted Legal Aid rather than rely on the wisdom of an ex-con who I was madly in love with.

I was very happy living in that mobile home park and going to college. My landlord had previously been good about purchasing materials for repairs and my neighborhood truly came together to support one another after the storm. But I gave all of that up and became accustomed to street life.

Many people across the country have faced the possibility of homelessness due to natural disasters. 7.5 million people have been displaced due to storm damage since 2008 according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center — an international organization consolidating displacements within a country. Wilma damaged more than 4,000 single-family homes and about 2,500 mobile homes, with over 250 being heavily damaged and 15 being destroyed according to a report by Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection.

While we cannot control the storm tracks nor can we guarantee that we won’t lose our homes, there are steps that can be taken to reduce the chances of becoming chronically homeless.

Of course, storm shutters are a given and mobile homes should be properly strapped down. Floridians should also stock up on recommended supplies beforehand, including flashlights, batteries, water, non-perishables, a radio, a portable battery charger and more, according to FloridaDisaster.org. But there are some things that are often overlooked.

I remember the FEMA agent asked me if I had renter’s insurance. I responded that I was a college student who could barely even afford my rent. However, renter’s insurance would have helped a lot for replacing my water-logged belongings. I also should’ve spent my FEMA money more wisely.

I learned many years later that rent money can be withheld if a landlord doesn’t make repairs in a timely manner. If a judge approves an application to do so, rent can instead be put into a special account called an escrow pending repairs. Different states, counties, and towns have different renters rights though, so you should check what actions you can take where you live.

Hurricane Wilma struck shortly after Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana. Most of the federal resources were going elsewhere. It’s important to be as prepared as possible, especially now when the cost of living is high and it may not be easy to find another rental or obtain the assistance you need.

And, speaking from my own experience, the longer a person is homeless, the more likely they’ll become comfortable with that lifestyle. After Hurricane Wilma, I subsequently remained homeless on and off for the next twenty years.

If you become homeless after a storm, promptly seek housing, jobs, and resources. Find a solution and establish a plan for recovery. Don’t let yourself lose hope and get stuck in a rut like I did.

Although weathering a hurricane in a trailer was terrifying, it doesn’t even compare to the level of fear and safety risks involved with attempting to survive a storm while homeless. I went through several hurricanes, including Irma and Nicole, while living on the streets.

As a native Floridian, hurricanes have become normal to me. During one tropical storm, my husband and I stored our belongings in plastic tubs in one tent and took the other tent down, securing it with concrete blocks.

Our friend received help with getting a motel room, so we stayed with him and were even brazen enough to panhandle in the storm once the worse bands had passed — which I don’t recommend. Aside from ending up soaked, those storms are unpredictable and can spawn tornadoes. Anyway, few people were willing to roll their windows down.

We were initially fearless when we heard Hurricane Irma coming through, but once the rain bands moved in, reality hit home. I flagged down an officer to take us to a shelter. The first shelter refused to accept us and told the officer that they weren’t “hobo express.”

The next shelter accepted us, but segregated the homeless our second night there. If possible, I’d advise not sharing homeless status when going to a hurricane shelter.

Although I seriously doubt that the Red Cross is biased towards the homeless, there may be some volunteers who don’t understand. At the very least, they may have been trying to make the shelter feel safe and comfortable for other evacuees.

Since we left our camp in a hurry, we didn’t bring any belongings. As a result, we were freezing cold on the floor of the high school. I’d recommend bringing a blanket, sleeping bag, phone charger, and a couple changes of clothes.

There aren’t any showers at Red Cross shelters, but you can freshen up in the bathroom, so you may want to bring minimal toiletries. You can always refer to the Red Cross website or call the shelter ahead of time to find out which items are allowed.

Last year, Hurricane Nicole hit. My friends decided to stay at their camps, but I called the cops for a ride to a shelter. Once again, I admitted my homeless status, and this time, the officers bypassed the nearest shelter in favor of one that was designated for the homeless.

I didn’t face segregation, but was once again soaking wet and freezing cold. I realized the next day that blankets and snacks were only being provided for residents of the federally funded Lewis (homeless resource) Center. If you are homeless in Palm Beach County, I strongly suggest bringing your own supplies with you to the hurricane shelter.

However, you don’t need to pack up your entire camp. While there, I noticed that many homeless people brought everything they owned and struggled to fit it all in the buses the next day.

Just take what you need and secure the rest at a friend’s house or in a storage unit. If you don’t have those options, you should keep your extra belongings in plastic tubs secured with concrete blocks. And always take your tent down and secure that as well.

If you have a substance abuse disorder and are worried about withdrawing in a shelter, I’d suggest going to your local detox or emergency room. My friend, Cowboy, once weathered a storm in a shopping plaza to avoid alcohol withdrawal. Miraculously, he survived, but he took a chance with his life.

Hurricanes are a fact of life in Florida. However, they can be the cause of homelessness and a life-threatening event for those already living on the streets. Fortunately, there are precautions that can be taken to help you survive this hurricane season.

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