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Boley Centers outlines Safe Haven outcomes and cost savings for chronically homeless residents
Summary
Boley Centers reported that their Safe Haven program serves people with severe persistent mental illness and chronic homelessness at an average cost per bed (~$20,856/year) and showed 82% transition to permanent housing or higher care; council asked about scalability and federal funding risks.
Saint Petersburg — Kevin Marrone, president and CEO of Boley Centers (BOLI), presented the nonprofit’s Safe Haven model for chronically homeless people with severe and persistent mental illness.
BOLI operates two co‑ed Safe Havens in Pinellas County, providing low‑demand, 24/7 staffed transitional housing that connects residents to case management, psychiatric care and substance‑use support. Marrone said Safe Haven average bed cost is about $20,856 per year and that studies show community costs for an individual experiencing chronic homelessness (emergency services, jail, hospitals) can range from $40,000 to $60,000 annually, implying net savings if placements succeed. Boley reported 82 percent of Safe Haven residents in the past five years transitioned to permanent housing or appropriate higher care.
Council members praised outcomes and pressed on scale‑up capacity, staffing challenges, and the risk of federal funding cuts. Marrone said the model is scalable but requires smaller facilities, sustained multi‑source funding and close partnerships with faith‑based landowners to secure sites for new housing. He encouraged ongoing local funding and advocacy to sustain the model.
