06 May 10 Interview w/Cathy Jackson on homelessness
HSN’s Cathy Jackson has been featured on the Central Florida Matters program by the Carroll McKenney Foundation for Public Media:
In part-1 of a new feature titled “On Being…Homeless in Seminole County,” we talk with Cathy Jackson, executive director of the Homeless Services Network (HSN) of Central Florida. In a wide-ranging interview she defines the homeless problem in Seminole County and identifies other institutional players at work addressing the dilemma of homelessness. Feature length – 23:49
Tags: Seminole County
03 May 10 Save the Date – DCF Seminar
The following announcement comes to us via Carolann Duncan, Program Administrator for DCF’s Substance Abuse/Mental Health Program and HSN Board Member:
The Department of Children and Families Mental Health Office is proud to be partnering with The Florida Peer Network to host six regional seminars “Building Capacity for Trauma-Informed Systems of Care.” The seminars are free & travel scholarships will be available! Venue and registration details will be released soon.
The seminars will be held in the following locations:
Tags: DCF
28 Apr 10 2010 Legislative Agenda Update
The following message comes from Rita Clark at the Miami Coalition for the Homeless:
I want to share some great news with all of you – the Hate Crimes Legislation (HB 11) has now passed thru the Senate (SB 506) and will go forward to the Governor for his signature. We had a lot of Bill sponsors from across Florida and we want to acknowledge their support of our legislative agenda this year. The Homelessness and Affordable Housing legislation also looks very promising; and I’ll have more to report on this legislation as the week unfolds in Tallahassee.
HB 11 – Crimes Against Homeless Persons (Hate Crimes) Bill Sponsor by Porth and Rogers; Co-Sponsors Abruzzo, Ambler, Bernard, Brandenburg, Bullard, Chestnut, Fetterman, Heller, Long, Pafford, Rader, Sachs, Sands, Steinberg, and Zapata
SB 506 – Bill Sponsor by Ring
HB 923 – Homelessness Bill Sponsor by Reed and Co-Sponsors Fitzgerald, Garcia, Kreegel, Porth, Robaina, Rogers, and Sachs
SB 2654 – Bill Sponsor Crist
HB 665 – Affordable Housing Bill Sponsor by Aubuchon and Co-Sponsors Abruzzo, Bovo, Brandenburg, Carroll, Fitzgerald, Gaetz, Mayfield, Nehr, Pafford, Planas, Randolph, Roberson, Steinberg, Williams, A; Williams, T.; and Zapata
SB 262 – Bill Sponsor by Bennett and Co-Sponsor Altman
Thanks to all of you, our legislators have heard from you and been champions for the homeless this year in Tallahassee!
Keep up the great work,
Rita Clark Policy Director Miami Coalition for the Homeless, Inc.
Tags: legislation
26 Apr 10 April 2010 CoC Meeting
April 27, 2010, at the Heart of Florida United Way, 1940 Traylor Boulevard, Orlando, FL
8:30 am Networking & Refreshments
9am-10am Topics:
* The new Housing Now program (Rapid Rehousing for Families) — it’s up and running!
* Self-sufficiency outcomes assessment tool
* HSN/Goodwill Industries Homeless Veterans Employment Grant — what it means for your clients
* 2010 HPRP Grant allocation — proposal overview
Tags: CoC
20 Apr 10 Proposed Rule on the Definition of Homelessness
Today, HUD published the proposed rule for the definition of homelessness. The publication of the proposed rule commences HUD’s regulatory process of the implementation of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH Act), enacted into law on May 20, 2009. This proposed rule only addresses definitions of the following terms: “homeless,” “homeless individual,” “homeless person,” and “homeless individual with a disability.” The proposed rule clarifies that individuals and families may qualify as homeless under four possible categories, corresponding to the broad categories established by the statutory language of the definition in section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Act as amended by the HEARTH Act.
The proposed rule and the McKinney-Vento Act as amended by HEARTH are available on the HRE at www.hudhre.info/hearth. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the proposed rule by June 21, 2010 at www.regulations.gov.
14 Apr 10 New Seminole County Community Assistance Programs
The Seminole County Community Assistance department has announced four new programs:
- Day Camp Scholarship Program
- CSBG-R Training Program
- Security & Utility Deposit Program
- Purchase Assistance: Holly Townhomes
More information is available below. Please contact them directly with any questions.
Tags: Seminole County
14 Apr 10 City of Orlando Grant Applications
The City of Orlando has released the applications for funding under three different programs:
- Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG)
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
- Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
The deadline for all of these applications is April 30, 2010. Click the links above to access the applications, or for more information, please visit the web site for the City of Orlando’s Housing & Community Development Department.
02 Apr 10 HUD HEARTH/HMIS Conference
The HUD HEARTH/HMIS Conference will take place September 14-17 in Denver, CO and September 27-30 in Atlanta, GA. The same program, including topics, sessions, and materials will be offered at each location; attendees may only register for one of the conferences. Pre-registration is required and opens June 2010. The conference will provide a lot of information for representatives to take back to respective communities re: HEARTH implementation with respect to program operation, data collection, and increasing community capacity to perform program and system-wide performance measurement. It is recommended that communities consider sending a CoC representative, policy representative, and HMIS System Administrator. HMIS SHP Training and Technical Assistance and HPRP funds can be used to send the selected representatives from the community to the HUD HEARTH/HMIS Conference.
26 Mar 10 HUD Releases Study on Costs of First-Time Homelessness
Two additional studies look at life after transitional housing and access to mainstream benefits
WASHINGTON – When an individual or a family becomes homeless for the first time, the cost of providing them housing and services can vary widely, from $581 a month for an individual’s stay in an emergency shelter in Des Moines, Iowa to as much as $3,530 for a family’s monthly stay in emergency shelter in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today released three studies on the cost of ‘first-time’ homelessness; life after transitional housing for homeless families; and strategies for improving access to mainstream benefits programs.
HUD’s cost study is the most comprehensive research on the price tag associated with first-time homelessness and creates a foundation to compare the costs of various homeless interventions. Taken together, HUD’s three studies released today will inform policy discussions on what are the most effective strategies for assisting homeless persons and families in the future.
“These studies expand our knowledge of the true costs of homelessness and raises other questions that go far beyond dollars and cents,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “Now we need to have a serious discussion over what strategies are not only most cost effective, but how we can help individuals and families from falling into homelessness in the first place.”
Tags: HUD
24 Mar 10 National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
Homeless Veteran in need of help?
Call 1-877-4AID VET (1-877-424-3838)
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) has founded a National Call Center for Homeless Veterans hotline to ensure that homeless Veterans or Veterans at-risk for homelessness have free, 24/7 access to trained counselors. The hotline is intended to assist homeless Veterans and their families, VA Medical Centers, federal, state and local partners, community agencies, service providers and others in the community. To be connected with a trained VA staff member call 1-877-4AID VET (877-424-3838).
* Call for yourself or someone else
* Free and confidential
* Trained VA counselors to assist
* Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
* We have information about VA homeless programs and mental health services in your area that can help you.
What will happen when I call?
Tags: veterans
