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ADVOCACY

Florida Supportive Housing Coalition’s (FSHC) main mission is advocating to increase affordable housing and housing support services for persons with special needs and experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. We envision a Florida where persons with special needs can live, work, and prosper in their community of choice with the supports they need.

By working together with our corporate and statewide partner members, our organizational members, our local government members, and our individual stakeholders, FSHC has built an organization dedicated to fostering the development of supportive housing for persons with special needs.  Special needs Individuals include elders, veterans, young people exiting foster care, persons with disabilities.  This includes persons with mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders, HIV/Aids, and persons experiencing domestic violence.

Our advocacy activities include an annual shared legislative platform to increase the funding for special needs and homeless housing, and housing for persons with extremely low incomes. Our legislative priorities also include funding requests for housing support services and rental assistance.

All FSHC members receive a copy of our legislative priorities, weekly legislative updates throughout the legislative session, action alerts, and end of session analyses of the budget and passed bills.

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Meeting Our Legislators

Berny Jaques House District 59 (center)

With FSHC Executive Director Stephanie Sutton(left) and Audette Bruce, District Aide(Right)

Senator Ed Hooper Senate District 21(2nd from right)

With from left to right Sandra Newson, Carrfour Supportive Housing, Kevin Marrone, Boley Centers, Janet Stringfellow, Volunteers of America of Florida

Representative Traci Koster House District 66 (Center)

With FSHC Executive Director Stephanie Sutton(left) and Rachel Frampton, District Aide(right)

March 29, 2023

LIVE LOCAL: Workforce Housing Strategy Signed Into Law Creates attainable housing options, convenient for Florida workers who want to live in the communities they serve

Statewide Permanent Supportive Housing Workgroup

Last year, the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition (FSHC) convened the Executive Office of the Governor, nine State Agencies and other key stakeholder organizations to hold a strategic dialogue regarding statewide supportive housing issues. The facilitated meeting explored a common purpose, traced the history of Florida’s supportive housing policy, and examined how best to:

  • Increase production of housing units for special needs populations;
  • Improve access, coordination and funding for supportive services;
  • Create data-driven solutions across multiple State Agencies and systems of care.

 

The meeting was so successful the Executive Office of the Governor proposed developing a Supportive Housing State Plan. The Florida Housing Finance Corporation will be the lead state entity coordinating this collaborative effort to develop the Plan. See the May 5th Policy Day Report.

This group examined data from a recently completed statewide needs assessment and worked to identify and outline short- and long-term strategies to address the needs of households that require supportive housing services.

At this Policy Day, the Governor’s Office recommended establishing a statewide workgroup consisting of State Agency leadership to identify housing and supportive services policies and actions that can be implemented to best address the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors.

State agencies participating in this Workgroup include representatives from the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Department of Elder Affairs, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget, and Florida Housing Finance Corporation. There have been three Workgroup Meetings starting back in March, 2023. Information for the fourth and final meeting is below.

Statewide Permanent Supportive Housing Workgroup: Fourth Meeting