23 Aug 10 Florida Policy Council Meeting – Your input requested!
The Florida Homeless Policy Council is meeting in Orlando from 9 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 26, 2010, on the 9th Floor (Overlook Room) of Orlando City Hall. The primary topic of discussion will be the impact of the US Interagency Council on Homelessness Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homeless which was released on June 22, 2010. (Download here.) Key issues will focus on both State and local policy, program design, and interagency collaboration to meet the goals set forth in the plan.
HSN urges you to review the Executive Summary of the plan and attend to meeting on August 26 to provide feedback to the Florida Policy Council during its discussions.
23 Aug 10 2010 Homeless Housing Assistance Grant Overview
Total funding available in Florida: $3.25 million
Maximum funding: $750,000 per project
Download the 2010 HHAG application here.
Permitted uses: acquisition, new construction for housing units or the rehabilitation of existing, unoccupied housing units for homeless persons
Ineligible uses: purchase of land, furnishing or personal property, off-site utility systems, project design, impact fees; common kitchen or dining facilities, offices or program areas will only be funded if these costs are incidental to the cost of building residential units.
Restrictions:
- Lien restricting use of the property for TEN years for occupancy by the homeless
- Project must be completed by July 31, 2011
Schedule and Deadlines (more…)
23 Aug 10 Job Available: Harbor House, Orlando, FL
The following job opportunity comes from Harbor House of Central Florida:
Chief Operating Officer
Harbor House is seeking an experienced, dynamic individual to oversee the programmatic operations of one of the largest, most comprehensive domestic abuse organizations in the United States. Successful candidates should have a minimum of 5 years of senior management experience, preferably overseeing multiple operations including residential services.
Education and Training: Master’s degree in administration or similar field. 10 years of work experience in the field can substitute for educational requirements.
Other Job Requirements: The position requires experience managing and overseeing Federal, State and local funds in addition to human resources and risk management. Extensive computer skills are required.
Experience: Ten plus years in social services, domestic violence or other applicable field. Minimum of five years senior management experienceHarbor House is an equal opportunity employer and drug free workplace. We provide a dynamic and rewarding workplace environment with excellent benefits.
Join a team that saves lives every day.
Email resume and cover letter to: resumes {at} harborhousefl(.)com
No calls please.
For more information about Harbor House, please visit their web site.
Tags: Jobs
23 Aug 10 August CoC Meeting Moved to Lakeside Behavioral Healthcare!
Tomorrow’s monthly Continuum of Care meeting has been moved to Lakeside Behavioral Healthcare’s Princeton Plaza Meeting Room. The address is 1800 Mercy Drive, Orlando, FL 32808. Ample parking is available in the lot bordering the lake in front of the entrance. The location is approximately 1.5 miles from the Heart of Florida United Way building. Traveling west on Princeton, you would cross John Young Parkway, then make a left on Mercy Drive and a right at Princeton Plaza. If you would like more detailed directions, visit Google Maps.
Thank you to Lakeside Behavioral Healthcare for assisting us in solving this last-minute logistical challenge caused by space issues at HFUW!
Meeting topics will include:
- Mustard Seed Workshop to update case managers on the new services, inventory and procedures at Mustard Seed to assist our homeless clients in obtaining critically-needed household goods and furniture as clients move into their new community-based housing.
- Participants’ recommendations on potential Challenge Grant funding uses (bus passes, Homeward Bound, ID expenses?)
- Information on HHAG mandatory workshops for October 1, 2010 deadline
- New HSN website features highlighting your agencies — how you can become a featured agency
- Speaker’s Bureau update — let us help you tell your story to the community!
8:30 — coffee, donuts and networking
9:00 — 10:30 meeting
Tags: CoC Meeting
12 Aug 10 Health Care Grant Opportunity
The following grant opportunity comes via Tom Pierce at Florida’s Office on Homelessness:
On August 9, 2010, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services announced the availability of up to $250 million in grants for the “New Access Point” program to deliver primary health care services for underserved and vulnerable populations under the Health Center Program. This grant can address the health care needs of the homeless population in your community. (more…)
Tags: DCF, grants, healthcare
08 Jul 10 FAQ on Renters in Foreclosed Properties
HSN has been receiving a lot of phone calls over the past few months from people afraid of becoming homeless because they have learned that the residence that they are renting has been foreclosed. There are a lot of questions regarding the tenants’ rights in these situations, but our friends at Legal Advocacy at Work have assembled a nice little flyer that answers many of these questions.
Download the flyer or read on below:
Tags: foreclosure, legal, tenants
07 Jul 10 HSN Receives $1.6 Million in Funding
HUD’s Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that $190 million has been awarded to fund 550 new projects across the country that will provide housing and supportive services to thousands of homeless individuals and families.
Homeless Services Network and the Continuum of Care received over $1.6 million in new project funding as follows:
Grantee Project Sponsor Amount Beds Homeless sub-population served
Homeless Services Network Catholic Charities $161,221 24 transitional housing Female-headed households with children under age 8
Homeless Services Network Center for Drug Free Living $371,200 26 transitional housing Veterans
Homeless Services Network Lakeside Behavioral Healthcare $207,110 10 permanent supportive housing Severely mentally ill individuals
Homeless Services Network Sanford Housing Authority $253,470 18 permanent supportive housing Households with or without children
Seminole County Government Homeless Services Network Shelter Plus Care $607,860 11 permanent supportive housing Chronically homeless individuals
You may download the complete list of new projects that have been awarded across U.S. in the FY 2009 CoC homeless competition from HUD’s Homelessness Resource Exchange (HRE). To view the press release, please visit the HUD web site.
06 Jul 10 HMIS Downtime for Major Upgrade, 8/5-8/6, 2010
We are scheduled to upgrade our HMIS software from ServicePoint 4 to ServicePoint 5. This is considered a major upgrade, so it will require for the HMIS to be taken offline at noon on Thursday, 8/5 until noon on Friday, 8/6. Please inform the HMIS Help Desk right away at hmis {at} hsncfl(.)org if you must have access to HMIS during that time.
Did you say “major upgrade”?
Indeed I did. ServicePoint 5 (SP5) represents the culmination of nearly three years’ work by our HMIS software vendor, Bowman Systems. This is not just changing the colors on the screen; a lot of effort was put into making ServicePoint easier to use. Here’s some of what you can expect: (more…)
Tags: HMIS
02 Jul 10 Report: Prohibitions on Sharing Food with Homeless People
The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty and the National Coalition for the Homeless jointly released a new report entitled A Place at the Table: Prohibitions on Sharing Food with People Experiencing Homelessness. The report focuses on cities that have created ordinances, policies and tactics to limit groups from sharing food with homeless people. Alternative solutions and programs to penalizing food sharing activities are highlighted in the report.
The report argues that targeting churches, service providers and volunteers by placing restrictions on providing food to homeless people is part of a broader trend toward criminalizing homelessness. Criminalization measures include city laws that outlaw activities homeless people are forced to do in public spaces because of their lack of a home or shelter, such as sitting on sidewalks and eating and sleeping in public. These laws have been created in communities nationwide and are an ineffective response to homelessness. The report outlines how different types of laws and tactics are being used to restrict food sharing. It features food sharing restrictions in 23 communities across the country.
The report is available at the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty web site.
30 Jun 10 Veterans Stand Down 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs is hosting a Veterans Stand Down:
Saturday, September 25, 2010
9:00am – 2:00pm
Downtown Orlando Recreation Center
649 W. Livingston Street
Orlando, FL 32801
The event will offer medical care, haircuts, VA benefits, dental screening, showers, food, tax assistance, clothing, shelter information, employment and more to the Orlando veteran population.
To sign up as a volunteer, please fill out the Volunteer Registration Form.
