LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

 The Florida Coalition to End Homelessness (FCEH) members stand as one voice to improve policy and increase funding to prevent and end homelessness in the State of Florida.

CALLING ALL ADVOCATES!

Legislative Advocacy begins with you! FCEH welcomes you to join our team to advocate for our legislative priorities with your Florida State Representatives and Senators.  FCEH Members provided input and suggestions for each year’s State Legislative Priorities.   Join FCEH today to be part of the solution and to support our work to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring in the State of Florida.

JOIN OUR ADVOCACY TEAM TODAY

FLORIDA COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS - RESPONSE TO  HB1365

The Florida Coalition to End Homelessness strongly agrees with the Florida Legislature and Governor DeSantis. Floridians sleeping on the streets or camping in public spaces is not an acceptable solution to our current housing and homelessness crisis. We ask that the State Legislature and Governor continue their work to ensure Floridians have access to housing and appropriate services to end the trauma of homelessness. The Florida Coalition to End Homelessness and its members stand ready to assist.

We encourage county and municipal leaders to work with their homeless continuum of care to follow best practices in ensuring there are emergency accommodations that are safe, dignified, and appropriately targeted toward the unique needs of various households experiencing homelessness. Communities incorporating strategies such as prevention, diversion, Rapid Rehousing, and Permanent Supportive Housing for people with disabilities are being implemented successfully across Florida.  These solutions solve homelessness, rather than managing it.

Here are some critical next steps for our members and partners:

Support the Homeless Crisis Response System

  1. Work with local government to include emergency shelters in their planning and zoning plans to increase access to low-barrier emergency shelters.
  2. Work with hospitals, mental health and substance abuse treatment centers, and law enforcement personnel (jails/probation) in the State of Florida to participate in effective discharge planning and collaboration with the local continuums of care.
  3. Revise the language in fs. 212.0306(1) to allow any county or municipality the ability to adopt a food and beverage penny program to help people who are homeless – or those about to become homeless.

Increase Access to Affordable Housing

  1. Work with the legislature to fund the Homeless Housing Assistance Grant for permanent housing specifically for individuals experiencing homelessness. A $6M recurring fund per year would fund at least 5 CoCs and their providers to increase the number of affordable long-term housing units specifically for individuals experiencing homelessness.
  2. Work with the legislature to encourage local governments to subsidize or build affordable rental housing, including eliminating or raising the cap on SHIP funding for rental housing. Then work with local government to prioritize individuals seeking assistance to those experiencing homelessness.
  3. Work with the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to develop strategies to encourage more nonprofit developers to apply for SAIL funding through a streamlined application process.

Increase Access to Supportive Services

  1. Implement the recommendations of the Permanent Supportive Housing Action Plan developed in 2023, including creating an Office of Supportive Housing to better coordinate housing and supportive services.
  2. Work with the Executive Branch (AHCA, Governor’s Office) to expand the Medicaid 1115 Wavier Pilot Program to include housing stability services for all members experiencing or at risk of homelessness.  

Homelessness  crosses various systems of care, including: local government, school districts, businesses, and private citizens, and it will require us all to work together to find solutions.  If you are not already part of your local homeless Continuum of Care, we invite you to join their work today.  To learn more, please visit  www.fchonline.org/coc.

On April 22nd 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear the case of Johnson v. Grants Pass. This will be the most significant Supreme Court case about the rights of homeless people in decades. This case will decide whether cities are allowed to punish people for things like sleeping outside with a pillow or blanket, even when there are no safe shelter options.  Although the anti-camping legislation (HB1365) does not criminalize homelessness- it does require local government to take action - this case could open the door for strict penalties (fines and/or incarceration). 

Please support the National Homeless Law Center's work. There are many ways to advocate, even if you can't make the rally in DC on April 22.   


Learn More

Since 1994, Florida Coalition to End Homelessness (FCEH) has distinguished itself as the state’s leading voice on homeless policy. Today, FCEH continues to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to addressing homelessness in Florida by working with state and federal stakeholders to develop solution-driven practices.  Membership in the coalition has been expanded to include not just CoC Lead Agencies, but any organization or individual committed to ending homelessness in Florida.  Members receive training and talking points to be better advocates.  Members receive weekly updates to stay informed about the legislative session.  CoC Lead Agencies receive one-on-one support with our legislative advocates.   Learn more about our work.  We are stronger together and when we come together to support each other.


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