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Local providers urge delegation to maintain and increase funding for homelessness prevention, supportive housing and affordable-home programs
Summary
Multiple nonprofit and government speakers told the Seminole County delegation that homelessness and lack of affordable housing remain urgent local problems and urged continued state support for challenge grants, staffing, permanent supportive housing and land for housing development.
Representatives of local homeless services and housing nonprofits told the Seminole County legislative delegation on Jan. 8 that the region needs sustained and additional state support for permanent supportive housing, staffing and challenge grants to end homelessness.
Martha R., of the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, described the region's role coordinating federal HUD funds and a local homeless-management information system and said the region's permanent supportive housing programs exceed 90% retention for chronically homeless clients. She said Seminole County's point-in-time count showed an increase in homelessness to 420 people and called for continued state support for local projects and staffing.
Carl Faulkner, president and CEO of Pathlight Home, which operates supportive housing in Seminole County, asked lawmakers to provide funding for affordable housing, supportive services and land for development. He urged retention of current state funding levels for the Continuum of Care staffing and challenge grants and said the effectiveness of social services is limited when housing stock is not available.
Kelly Peixoto of Habitat for Humanity, Seminole & Apopka, said her affiliate housed 16 families last year and emphasized rising construction and insurance costs that push up homebuilding expenses by roughly 22% over two years. She asked lawmakers to address insurance and other cost drivers and thanked the delegation for support of SHIP funds.
Why it matters: Several speakers stressed that investments in housing availability and supportive services produce measurable outcomes (high retention for supportive housing) and urged steady funding to address increases in need and a constrained housing market.
