Everyone in Apopka knows Mabel.
Head north down Forest Avenue just before 441 between Dunkin' and the West Orange Trail overpass, and you are likely to see her sitting on the sidewalk with all her belongings. She might wave or even talk to you if you are on foot. Mabel is a homeless 72-year-old woman that spends a lot of time in that area. And by most accounts, it's her choice to do so.
And while Mabel may be the most recognizable homeless person in Apopka, she is not the prototypical unhoused person.
Homelessness is a complex and pervasive social issue that occurs when individuals or families lack stable and safe housing. People experiencing homelessness often face significant challenges in accessing basic necessities such as shelter, food, healthcare, and employment. Homelessness can result from a variety of factors, including poverty, lack of affordable housing, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, and inequality.
And all of these conditions are exacerbated by the insecurity of living on the street.
But no, most people that find themselves without a home would prefer to have one. According to a poll conducted by Grace Marketplace Homeless Shelter in Gainesville, more than 95% of the total homeless population reports that they would take housing if it were affordable.
Mabel is a wonderful lady, but she is an anomaly.
There are a few other descriptors of homeless people that are also outside of the majority in Apopka:
There are different forms of homelessness, including:
Addressing homelessness requires a comprehensive approach that includes prevention, intervention, and long-term solutions. Some strategies commonly used to tackle homelessness include:
It's important to note that homelessness is a complex issue with varying causes and circumstances. Addressing homelessness requires a multifaceted approach that combines housing solutions with social services, policy changes, and community involvement.
It will be a heavy lift for Apopka to attempt to eradicate homelessness, but it's vital that they, at a minimum, formulate a plan. Other cities and counties have taken on the goal of ending homelessness in their communities, with long-term successes to show.
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From NextCity.com
In 1998, the mayors of many of Canada’s largest cities declared homelessness a natural disaster. As the problem grew, nearly a decade later, the Alberta provincial government gave seven cities in the province a total of $16 million to address the crisis.
Located in the picturesque South Saskatchewan River Valley, Medicine Hat is known for its natural gas fields (it’s called the Gas City for a reason), dramatic coulees, and rolling prairies. About 13% of residents live in poverty, and the opioid crisis has taken a toll on the community.
The city’s total population is approximately 63,000.
How did this small city reach the “functional zero” milestone? The city has worked to develop rapport with landlords, strengthen its housing loss prevention efforts, and move away from programs in favor of specific services to address vulnerable individuals’ needs, among other reforms. But officials say the core of Medicine Hat’s success is its data-driven, housing-first approach – where people experiencing homelessness are first provided housing without any preconditions, then offered support to address other issues they may face.
In 2009, Medicine Hat committed to ending homelessness, developing a five-year plan that sought to move the city’s approach from simply “managing” the homeless population to a housing-first philosophy, providing support to address individual issues and build self-reliance once housed. By 2015, Medicine Hat had actually declared itself at functional zero with homelessness based on its own standards since no national definition existed at the time.
Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings today announced that Orange County Government housed 486 individuals experiencing homelessness in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge, states, municipalities, and tribes through HUD’s House America initiative.
Mayor Jerry Demings committed to House America in October 2021, and since then, Orange County efforts have resulted in serving the immediate needs of 486 households. An additional 805 affordable rental units, including 110 that are set aside for extremely low-income households, are in the development pipeline since receiving federal funding support and technical assistance from HUD.
Orange County is one of 105 communities across 31 states and territories and the District of Columbia that joined the initiative Secretary Fudge launched in partnership with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness as a comprehensive effort to address the nation’s homelessness crisis.
House America encourages communities to deploy a historic level of federal resources to address homelessness. In particular, House America’s 105 communities received a funding boost through ARPA to expand permanent housing opportunities – including more than 20,000 Emergency Housing Vouchers and over $1.5 billion HOME-ARP from HUD, as well as over $65 billion in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. These resources sparked renewed momentum and greater deployment of available funds, including the CARES Act and annual appropriations, to create permanent housing solutions.
A fact sheet on House America's progress is available here.
From GraceMarketplace.org
Before the first person walked through the welcoming gates of GRACE Marketplace in 2014, nearly a decade's worth of effort had already been put in to make the campus a reality.
That work began in 2005 when the local government and the Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless & Hungry collaborated on a report outlining a 10-year plan to end homelessness – Project GRACE: The Gainesville/Alachua County 10-Year-Plan to End Homelessness.
The plan addressed the root causes of homelessness – lack of affordable housing or a living wage. The 57-page document laid out detailed strategies and a multi-pronged approach to getting people off the streets and back into housing as quickly as possible. At the same time, the plan called for preventative services to keep at-risk individuals and families from becoming homeless, battling the issue from both sides.
After securing implementation funding from the City and County in 2006, the process of selecting a location became the primary objective. Advocates scouted and placed bids on the property after property, but while everyone in the county recognized the problem of homelessness – and applauded the work that GRACE would do to combat it – many citizens were uncomfortable with the idea of living close to the campus.
The GRACE project moved forward, however, determined to prove that the stigma was unfounded and that, given just a little bit of help, people could quickly get back on their feet. For years, the city and county commissions considered sites, contracts, zoning, and permits. Finally, in 2011, there was a turning point when the Gainesville Correctional Institution was being considered for closing, and local officials suggested the site for GRACE.
More than eight years after the 10-year plan to end homelessness was written, GRACE opened on May 5th, 2014, on the site of the old GCI. Since then, it has become a one-stop shop for people without housing, providing food, shelter, and services aimed at ending homelessness. GRACE opened its first indoor shelter in October 2014 and moved that shelter into its current dorm — GRACELand — in 2015, the same year Café 131 opened its doors.
In February 2016, fewer than two years after it opened, GRACE served its 100,000th meal. Later that year, GRACE also opened the Education & Training Building with help from the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.
Since opening, GRACE has contributed to a 47% drop in homelessness in Alachua County. GRACE is always looking for dedicated volunteers and supportive donors to help with that mission.
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To some extent, Medicine Hat, Orange County, and Gainesville have all found ways to minimize homelessness in their communities with a wide range of strategies. It's time for Apopka to join these communities.
During the budget workshops, the Apopka City Council needs to consider this issue before it gets any worse.
The first step should be a show of good faith - earmark funding to begin the process of formulating a plan of action to end homelessness.
With that funding, the Council can seek the data necessary to understand homelessness in Apopka. Set goals. Decide on a core plan of affordable housing strategies, supportive services, homelessness prevention, collaboration and coordination with experts in the field and with non-profits already in the fight, and a housing first approach.
But first and foremost, commit to making the fiscal year 2023-24 the budget season it started fighting homelessness in its community.
This is the conclusion of the series "Homeless in Apopka"
Alisha Garner's background is in healthcare as a grant management associate. She is a recent graduate from the Burnett Honors College at UCF with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Conflict Resolution. Prior to healthcare, she was in golf management as a certified PGA/LPGA professional, most notably serving at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club in Orlando, as well as Walt Disney World’s 99 Holes of Golf. Driven by a relentless pursuit of balance, she enjoys finding the sweet spot where business efficiency, thriving social relationships, and good old-fashioned human interaction harmoniously co-exist.
