Overview of Homelessness in Tallahassee (6/25)

The major purpose of this blog is to show Tallahasseeans a more personal, in-depth view of the services our community gives to its homeless. The blog entries themselves narrate where I am and how I got here. Hopefully if someone in the same position I was in (I want to help the homeless but don’t know how) finds this blog, they will save a lot of time and find all relevant information. This page is a regularly updated overview of my findings.

I am most familiar with a transitional housing program called HOPE, although it is only one of several housing programs. HOPE takes in applicants and guides them to self-sufficiency and permanent housing. For example, a family may come in completely homeless. In time (by the HOPE bylaws) you have to get a job (or show that you are really trying) and save I think 70% of your income. Slowly you are moved from 100% homeless- depend on HOPE for shelter, food, and clothes, to maybe 50% homeless- depend on HOPE only for shelter, finally to completely self-sustaining. It’s kind of like a homeless rehabilitation program meant to last six months, but that’s just a ballpark. No one gets kicked out if they need to stay longer and residents aren’t kept from leaving if they gather the means to do so before the six months. There ARE ways to get kicked out of the program, i.e. breaking the rules.

HOPE is separating from the Big Bend Homeless Coalition (BBHC), which is the overhead for local homeless services. The BBHC is the one that reports to the government and receives its funding. HOPE buildings and the BBHC office are currently located in the same place between Municipal Way and Pensacola St, though HOPE is looking to separate both administratively and locationally.

That’s all I know so far