PINELLAS
COUNTY 10-YEAR PLANNING HOMELESS POLICY GROUP
ARCHIVE
MISSION
Develop
and implement a county-wide ten year strategic
plan to end homelessnes
Background:
President Bush has called upon communities
throughout the nation to develop strategic
plans to end chronic homelessness in ten
years. This initiative has received bipartisan
support and has been endorsed by both the
U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National
Association of Counties. Special federal
funding, through the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development, the Department of
Health and Human Services, and the Veterans
Administration has and will continue to be
made available to communities that have successfully
implemented 10-year plans to end chronic
homelessness. In addition, communities that
presently receive HUD funding for homeless
programs have been advised that HUD grants
in future years will be determined, at least
in part, by the efficacy and success of their
10-year plans.
WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS DOING TO END HOMELESSNESS
On July 25, 2004 a meeting was held with representatives
from Pinellas County, the Cities of St. Petersburg
and Clearwater to discuss how to begin the
process of developing a 10-year plan.
Several
points were discussed and are detailed
in the following bullets:
-
The attendees agreed that a countywide 10-year
plan would be the most effective way to address
homelessness, and attendees sought and secured
support from local governing bodies to proceed
with a countywide strategic planning process.
-
The attendees recognized that participation
by elected officials from Pinellas County,
the City of St. Petersburg, the City of Clearwater,
the City of Largo and other municipalities
would be necessary to the success of the planning
process and adoption of the plan by each jurisdiction.
-
The County has hired a consultant to study
the issue of homelessness through a 10- month
research process. Much of the research and
deliverables that the consultant will be providing
can be utilized and incorporated in the development
of the 10-year plan.
-
The result of the 10-month
research process
will identify areas for improvement
in the delivery of homeless
services, explore
best practices, create a model
for
coordination through which federal dollars
will be disbursed and which can
identify and secure new funding sources.
-
Creation
of the HUD required 10-year plan will incorporate
the outcomes and recommendations of the
10-month research process and identify
implementation
strategies.
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