Commissioner Steven Meiner has placed a standing item to discuss homelessness and ways to address the issue in our community.

The Homeless Outreach Services Program has increased its street outreach efforts by coordinating early morning and unified missions with the Miami Beach Police Homeless Resource Unit and the Sanitation Department. The joint missions are focused on creating proactive engagements with homeless in heavily populated areas throughout the city, to address encampments and other issues of citizen concern. This collaborative effort has augmented re-engagement strategies in the community by promoting more accessibility to services provided within the Homeless and Mental Health / Substance Abuse Continuum of Care.

In addition, the City has approved and allocated $100,000 to fund the renewal of the Camillus House Lazarus Project agreement. The Lazarus Project provides specialized outreach services to mentally ill homeless persons in Miami Beach that are reluctant to engage and accept services because of their impaired ability. The agreement is currently with Camillus House for review and execution and will be administered by the Office of Housing and Community Services.

The Homeless Outreach Services Team has also partnered with Comprehensive Health Center to provide medical health screenings and services for homeless persons in Miami Beach. These mobile services are currently available on Thursdays in the parking lot adjacent to 555 17^th Street, and Fridays at Lot P106 at 75^th Street & Collins Avenue.

The City has also reallocated funds from the Miami Dade County Homeless Trust FY19 program agreement to create a specialized outreach team focused on rendering substance abuse and/or co-occurring disorder services to the homeless population in Miami Beach. This specialized outreach team began providing services in Miami Beach on January 19^th, 2022, and thus far, traditionally service-resistant clients have accepted services and have been referred to detox and residential treatment programs.

The Homeless Outreach Services Program has expanded its shelter partnerships to include the Sundari Foundation, Inc., also known as the Lotus House, a shelter that serves women, youth, and children. This provider specializes in evidence-based trauma counseling and resolution, health and wellness programming, and education advancement. This new partnership will offer additional wrap-around services and supports to vulnerable women and children that are facing homelessness.

Employment opportunities can be a vital component to ending one’s homelessness. The City is currently issuing a Request for Letters of Intent (RFLI) to recruit an agency that will provide employment services to individuals that accept shelter services. Under the supervision of the recruited agency, the employed individuals will conduct street outreach to homeless peers, in hopes of conveying the message that ending their homelessness is possible. The purpose of this program is to not only promote the positive image of accepting homeless services, but to also build employment readiness skills and provide a steppingstone towards self-sufficiency.

The following are fiscal year 21/22 service numbers for HOST encompassing October 1, 2021, through January 31, 2022:

Furthermore, the City's walk-in center enables the homeless to seek shelter and services proactively; the City also manages a street outreach team that engages the homeless on the streets to facilitate services. Despite these efforts, many in the homeless refuse services and choose to remain on the streets. Staff is continuously working on developing partnerships and funding programs that will provide positive outcomes and focus on solutions in relation to service-resistance.