Springs Gets Homeless Help Ideas From Florida

COLORADO SPRINGS – Local homeless advocates say a recent trip to a model homeless program in Florida shows our city has far to go in adequately caring forour ownhomeless population.

In October, members of Homeward Pikes Peak, The Marian House and the Police Department traveled to Pinellas County, in the St. Petersburg area. The group visited Pinellas Hope, a tent city with a capacity of 500–complete with bathrooms, showers and laundry facilities. A penny tax on gasoline generates some funding for the project.

However, Bob Holmes of Homeward Pikes Peak says a tent city wouldn’t work here, because of the colder climate and legal issues. “If the city sets something up and allows people to come in drinking and doing drugs and something happens, it could be a major legal liability for the city. A private landowner may not want to assume that liability, either.”

Still, local advocates say the Florida tent city shows that better resources, more shelter choices, and better cooperation between governments and communities are neededto effectively address homelessness here. Holmes says local leaders at last are starting to deal with the toughest issues, including a discussion about whether to enforce a no-camping ordinance. Pinellas County has such an ordinance.

Local opposition to taxes makes a specialtax for homeless programs unlikely, but Holmes says federal funds are available if area leaders aggressively pursue them. “We probably miss a lot of federal grants because we can’t come up with the matching funds that are required. It takes spending money to get money, sometimes.”

Holmes estimatesbetween 150-200 people live in homeless campswithin the city,with a total of about 500 described as “chronically” homeless.He says he’d also like to see more jobs and support programs for the homeless.