Legislative Advocacy
The Florida Coalition for the Homeless (FCH) members stand as one voice to improve policy and increase funding to prevent and end homelessness in the State of Florida.
Annual Agenda and Information
Pin Point Results (PPR) is the legislative advocate for FCH and its members. Legislative Advocacy begins with you locally. Please utilize the information below to meet with your local representatives during the delegation meetings and provide them with FCH’s Legislative Agenda.
FCH 2020 Consensus Legislative Priorities
- Florida Coalition for the Homeless is advocating for the recurring Staffing Grant and Challenge Grant funds to be continued.
- Florida Coalition for the Homeless supports the Homeless Statute Cleanup Legislation and supports both House Bill 163 and Senate Bill 68 (please see below)
- Florida Coalition for the Homeless supports the affordable housing trust fund.
Advocacy starts locally, please utilize the priority handout to meet with your local delegates. Local Delegation Contact Information
Secure Funding
Florida Coalition for the Homeless 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 for the Homeless 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
FCH is a leading voice on state homeless policy. From advocating for improved state policy to analyzing enacted and proposed legislation, FCH actively engages in the legislative process. FCH 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 FCH 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 |
| 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 FCH |
| 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 – FCH 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 FCH’s efforts. FCH successfully advocated for a number of amendments to the bill in FCH’s favor. |
| 2015 | HB 1291/SB 586 – Amendment 1 Implementation | The bill amended the underlying doc stamp distribution statute to implement Amendment 1. FCH advocated to protect the provisions within the bill to preserve the existing distributions to the Housing Trust Funds. Because of FCH’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 an 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. FCH successfully advocated for a number of amendments to the bill in FCH’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. |