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.
Legislative Agenda and Information
Pin Point Results (PPR) is the legislative advocate for FCEH and its members. Legislative Advocacy begins with you locally. Please utilize the information below to meet with your local representatives during delegation meetings and in their local offices to provide them with FCEH’s Legislative Agenda.
FCEH2022 Legislative Priorities
ASK
- Florida Coalition to End Homelessness supports a 20% increase in the current Fiscal Year Funding for the recurring base budget Homeless Staffing Grant
- Florida Coalition to End Homelessness supports maintaining the current Fiscal Year funding for the recurring base budget Homeless Challenge Grant
Find Your Legislator
Join FCEH Today
The 2022 State of Florida Legislative Session will start soon, delegation meetings have already started. Join FCEH today to remain updated via weekly emails and conference calls with our legislative advocates, PinPoint Results. Do you want to stay informed?
CoC Members will receive a custom legislative handout illustrating their local homeless data and the return on investment to support local funding for homeless services. For more information, please click here.
Updates:
Thank you to all members and advocates for the very successful 2021 Legislative Session.
FCEH Priority Highlights:
- Homeless Staffing Grant was fully funded: $3M
- Homeless Challenge Grant was fully funded: $3,181,500
- Affordable Housing: $209M (recurring at 9.70% of doc stamps moving forward)
- ESG-CV1&2 back of the bill language adopted in the final version of the budget bill
- Additional American Rescue Plan Act funding for homeless children and youth wraparound services in response to COVID-19 provided in final budget
| FCEH Legislative Priorities FY 21-22 | |||||||
| Category | FCEH Ask | Available (Revised 4/21) | Governor Proposed Budget FY 21-22 | Senate FY 21-22 | House FY 21-22 | Final Budget FY 21-22 | Final Budget Proviso FY 21-22 |
| Staffing Grant | $3,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $3,000,000 | none | |
| Challenge Grant | $3,181,500 | $3,181,500 | $1,181,500 | $3,181,500 | $3,181,500 | none | |
| SAIL | ALL | $133,600,000 | ALL | $62,700,000 | $62,700,000 | $62,700,000 | none |
| SHIP | ALL | $312,700,000 | ALL | $146,300,000 | $146,300,000 | $146,500,000 | From the funds provided in Specific Appropriation 2239, $563,600 of non-recurring funds shall be used for training and technical assistance provided through the Affordable Housing Catalyst Program authorized in section 420.531, Florida Statutes. The Florida Housing Finance Corporation shall directly contract with the entity that meets all of
the requirements of section 420.531, Florida Statutes, to provide the training and technical assistance. |
| TOTAL SHIP/SAIL | $446,300,000 | $446,300,000 | $446,300,000 | $209,000,000 | $349,000,000 | $209,200,000 | |
| Doc Stamp Distributions (state funds only) | |||
| Current Law | SB 2512 | Final Budget FY 20-21 | |
| % Doc Stamps | 24.17% | 9.70% | |
| SEED | Less $75M for SEED | No SEED | Less $75M |
| $30,000,000 (HURRICANE RECOVERY) | |||
| Available Housing Current Revenue Estimate | $446.3 M | $209M | $400M |
| SHIP | $312.7M | $146.3M | $225M |
| SAIL | $133.6M | $62.7M | $145M |
| Sweeps | Permitted | No Sweeps | $225M (SHIP) |
| Appropriation Status | Non-Recurring | Recurring | Non-Recurring |
ESG-CV1&2 Back of Bill Language to revert unexpended dollars for ESG-CV to next Fiscal Year
CV2:
SECTION 63. The unexpended balance of funds provided to the Department of Children and Families in budget amendment EOG #2021-0460, approved by the Executive Office of the Governor, for homeless assistance and prevention activities shall revert and is appropriated to the department for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 for the same purpose.
CV1:
SECTION 69. The unexpended balance of funds provided to the Department of Children and Families in budget amendment EOG #2021-0093 for homelessness assistance and prevention activities, shall revert and is appropriated to the department for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 for the same purpose.
American Rescue Plan Act funding for homeless children and youth wraparound services in response to COVID-19:
SECTION 47. For Fiscal Year 2020-2021, there is hereby appropriated to the Department of Education in a lump sum appropriation category the nonrecurring sum of $46,104,268 awarded to the department under section 2001(b)(1) of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. These funds are provided for the department to identify homeless children and youth and provide wraparound services in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide assistance needed to enable homeless children and youth to attend school and participate fully in school activities, including in-person spring and summer learning and enrichment programs. The department is authorized to submit budget amendments requesting the release of funds pursuant to the provisions of chapter 216, Florida Statutes. Release of the funds for each budget amendment shall be contingent upon submission of a detailed plan that describes how the funds requested for release will be expended in compliance with the applicable provisions of the ARP Act. The unexpended balance of funds as of June 30, 2021, shall revert and is appropriated for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 to the department for the same purpose. This section shall take effect upon becoming a law.
Florida Coalition to End Homelessness Advocacy Goals
Secure Funding
Florida Coalition to End Homelessness has been instrumental in securing recurring Challenge Grant and CoC Staffing Grant contracts. This work has resulted in a three-year unified contract for all CoC staffing, Challenge Grant, ESG, and TANF dollars. These funds are provided directly to all of the Continuum of Care Lead Agencies in the State of Florida. This allows the CoC to plan ahead and to identify and fund homeless programs throughout the State.
Florida Coalition to End Homelessness worked with the State Office on Homelessness to reduce the number of homeless contracts to the 27 Lead Agencies. The goal was to move all funding streams to a unified RFA for lead agencies with a 3 year contract. This has resulted in an extension of the expenditure window to a full 12 months year to year. This has also reduced the dollars being returned unspent. The reversion rate started at 21% in FY ’12-13. With Unified Contracts in FY ’17-18, the reversion rate was only 1.9%.
Improve Policy
FCEH is a leading voice on state homeless policy. From advocating for improved state policy to analyzing enacted and proposed legislation, FCEH actively engages in the legislative process. FCEH works collaboratively with public, private, and nonprofit partners to develop, analyze, and advocate for policy solutions to end homelessness.
Legislative Advocacy History
This is a summary of the advocacy work completed for FCEH and its members since 2013.
| Yearly Appropriation Advocacy Success | |||||
| Year | Recurring Staffing Grant | Non-Recurring Staffing Grant | Recurring Challenge Grant | Non-Recurring Challenge Grant | Total Staffing / Challenge Grant Funding |
| 2021 | $3,000,000 | $0 | $3,181,500 | $0 | $6,181,500 |
| 2020 | $3,000,000 | $0 | $3,181,500 | $0 | $6,181,500 |
| 2019 | $3,000,000 | $0 | $3,181,500 | $0 | $6,181,500 |
| 2018 | $3,000,000 | $0 | $0 | $3,181,500 | $6,181,500 |
| 2017 | $3,000,000 | $0 | $5,000,000 | $0 | $8,000,000 |
| 2016 | $2,700,000 | $300,000 | $5,000,000 | $0 | $8,000,000 |
| 2015 | $2,000,000 | $50,000 | $3,800,000 | $0 | $5,850,000 |
| 2014 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 | $3,800,000 | $6,800,000 |
| 2013 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 | $0 | $3,000,000 |
| Legislation Advocacy Success | ||
| Year | Legislation | Importance To FCEH |
| 2020 | HB 163 / SB 68 – Homeless Statute rewrite | Homeless statute rewrite. SB 68 by Senator Book and HB 163 by Representative Altman updates Florida’s current statutes governing Homelessness Programs administered by the State Office on Homelessness to more effectively and efficiently prevent and end homelessness in our State. This was signed into law on 6/18/20 and became effective 07/01/2020 |
| 2019 | HB 1353 / SB 1218 – Homeless Statute rewrite | Homeless statute rewrite. SB 1218 by Senator Book and HB 1353 by Representative Altman updates Florida’s current statutes governing Homelessness Programs administered by the State Office on Homelessness to more effectively and efficiently prevent and end homelessness in our State. HB 1353 passed the Full House, however; SB 1218 was one of the many bills stuck in Senate Appropriations due to budget posturing between the two Chambers. Both members have already agreed to re-file the bills for the upcoming 2020 legislative session. |
| 2017 | HB 1013 / SB 854 – Affordable Housing Task Force | Affordable Housing Task Force – FCEH advocated for and was successful in securing, an amendment to include ‘a homeless advocate’ as a task force member. |
| 2016 | HB 1235/SB 1534 – Housing Assistance | The original bill text attempted changes to current law that were adverse to FCEH’s efforts. FCEH successfully advocated for a number of amendments to the bill in FCEH’s favor. |
| 2015 | HB 1291/SB 586 – Amendment 1 Implementation | The bill amended the underlying doc stamp distribution statute to implement Amendment 1. FCEH advocated protecting the provisions within the bill to preserve the existing distributions to the Housing Trust Funds. Because of FCEH’s legislative advocacy, the doc stamp distribution to the housing trust funds were held harmless preserving critical funds for ending homelessness in the State of Florida. |
| 2014 | HB 203/SB 260 – Unaccompanied Homeless Youths | Establishes the legal authority for unaccompanied homeless youth to consent to certain medical procedures and care or consent to a forensic medical examination without a parent’s permission. |
| 2014 | HB 979/SB1500 – Homelessness | The bill modified the training and technical assistance program under the Affordable Housing Planning and Community Assistance Act (Act), to provide that an acceptable use of the Act is to meet the needs of the homeless. Further, the bill also modifies qualifications and eligible activities for “Challenge Grants” administered by the Office of Homelessness within the Department of Children and Families. FCEH successfully advocated for a number of amendments to the bill in FCEH’s favor. |
| 2013 | HB 93/SB 402 – Homeless | The bill allows voluntary contributions of $1 per applicant for motor vehicle registration, renewal of registration, license application, renewal issuance or renewal extension, to aid the homeless. As of May 31, 2016, $178,566.88 has been collected. |