In 2019, the National Alliance to End Homeless reported that there were 567,715 homeless people in the United States. Florida homelessness is third in the nation, behind California and New York, reporting 28,328 homeless people (source: Florida Coalition to End Homelessness: http://fchonline.org/).

The City partners with the Big Bend Continuum of Care (BBCoC), the Big Bend Homeless Coalition, and other homeless service providers to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring. A 'Continuum of Care' is a community plan to organize and deliver housing and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless as they move to stable housing and maximize self-sufficiency. A coordinated entry process allows users, such as homeless service providers, to make consistent decisions from available information to connect people efficiently and effectively to housing and service interventions that will rapidly end their homelessness.

Programs Supported

• Homeless Management Information System: through financial support from the City, agencies collect and analyze data on individuals and families who are homeless and at risk of homelessness. This ensures that clients receive needed services and avoids duplication of benefits.
• Tallahassee-Leon County Homelessness Dashboard: For the first time ever, an operational dashboard was implemented to continuously track various community needs including information related to homeless populations, street outreach, and homeless emergency service providers. The Dashboard illustrates the overall homeless system with a focus on homeless populations, homeless server provider programs and their capacities, performance measures and current funds used to support homeless clients.
• Homelessness Prevention: The City provides funding to non-profit organizations to financially assist families in danger of becoming homeless. The agencies assist with the cost of rent and utilities so these individuals and families can stay in their homes.
• Permanent Relocation Program: The City provides relocation assistance to very low- and low-income persons displaced from their homes by code enforcement action. The program provides up to $4,000 for moving expenses, hotel/motel stays, security deposit, and first month's rent.
• Street Outreach: The City provides financial assistance to agencies to connect with unsheltered persons, assess their immediate needs, and connect them with emergency shelter, housing, case management and/or critical health services.
• Homeless Shelter Diversion: This program prevents homelessness for people seeking shelter by helping them identify immediate alternative housing arrangements and, if necessary, connecting them with services and financial assistance to help them return to permanent housing.
• Shelter Operations: The City funds a wide range of activities that increase the quantity and quality of temporary shelters. These activities include case management, meals, childcare, and life skills training for shelter residents; as well as maintenance, utility expenses and furnishings for the shelter itself.
• Rapid Rehousing: The City provides funding to non-profit organizations to screen homeless families and individuals and qualify them for the Rapid Rehousing Program. Through this program, agencies provide funding for rent, security deposits, and utilities so homeless families may be rapidly housed in an affordable unit.
• Permanent Supportive Housing: Permanent supportive housing combines affordable housing assistance with voluntary support services to address the needs of chronically homeless people. The services are designed to build independent living skills and connect people with community-based health care, treatment, and employment services.
• Operation Stand Down: The County and City each provide $10,000 annually for the North Florida Homeless Veterans Stand Down. During this multi-day event, homeless veterans receive meals, clothing, and medical services. County, City, and U.S. Veterans Administration staff, as well as homeless service providers, are present and available to provide vital information on veteran benefits, programs, and services.

Emergency Shelters

• Kearney Center for single adults https://kearneycenter.org
• Hope Community for families http://www.bigbendhc.org/
• Refuge House for domestic violence victims www.refugehouse.com
• CCYS for youth www.ccys.org

Big Bend 2-1-1 - Just as you would call 9-1-1 for emergencies, you can call 2-1-1 for human service information and assistance. Staff are available 24 hours a day to listen and provide emotional support, crisis counseling, suicide prevention, and information & referrals. You do not have to be in crisis to call, there is no eligibility criteria, and our services are free. They help you navigate through the maze of community services in a nonjudgmental manner. https://www.211bigbend.org/