Department of Human Services

Tackling Homelessness

Officials from Hillsborough County, Florida met with St. Louis officials last month to see what a working program looks like.

March 5, 2014 | 2 min reading time

This article is 10 years old. It was published on March 5, 2014.

 A recent article in the Tampa Bay Times (Money, political hurdles face Hillsborough in tackling homelessness, Feb. 22, 2014), described a visit to St. Louis by Hillsborough County, Florida officials to learn what they need to do to emulate St. Louis' successful system.  The trip to St. Louis was recommended by Phil Mangano, former national homeless policy czar under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

In 2002, leaders in Hillsborough County adopted a 10-year plan to end homelessness.  The City of St. Louis adopted a similar plan in 2005.  Hillsborough's plan was never carried out.  St. Louis' plan has lowered its homeless population by more than 30 percent.

What Florida officials took away with them after the visit was a desire to have what St. Louis has:  "a well organized network, services funded with public money but delivered by nonprofits and private organizations, and successes proven with data."  

Kudos to Department of Human Services Director Bill Siedhoff and his team and the St. Louis City Continuum of Care.

 

Department of Human Services

City of St. Louis