Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is Community Partnership for Homeless?
  2. What is Community Partnership for Homeless’ mission?
  3. Who are the leaders of Community Partnership for Homeless?
  4. What is the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust?
  5. Who are the leaders of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust?
  6. What is the mission of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust?
  7. What is the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan?
  8. What is the “continuum of care”?
  9. For what purposes are private funds being sought?
10. What is the Florida Community Contribution Tax Credit?
11. Why should I support this campaign?
12. What is the Food & Beverage Tax for homeless?
13. What is a Homeless Assistance Center?
14. How effective is the Homeless Assistance Center?
15. How many Homeless Assistance Centers are needed?
16. What was the role of the Governor’s Commission on Homeless in 1992 & 1993?
17. Are in kind gifts of goods and services needed?
18. What kind of in kind gifts have been received?
19. What is the role of churches, synagogues and civic groups?
 

1. What is Community Partnership for Homeless?

Community Partnership for Homeless is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) approved agency that is the private sector partner of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust in administering the Miami-Dade County Homeless Plan.

2. What is Community Partnership for Homeless’ mission?

Community Partnership for Homeless operates two Homeless Assistance Centers and raises the private funding necessary to assist in the implementation of the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan. Community Partnership is further committed to assisting the Trust in this implementation through encouraging private sector involvement.

3. Who are the leaders of Community Partnership for Homeless?

Robert E. Chisholm is Chairman; and Alvah H. Chapman, Jr. is Founding Chairman. James L. Armstrong, III, Trish Bell, and Dr. Evalina Bestman are Vice-Chairs. Lynn Lewis is Secretary. Tom Huston, Jr. is Treasurer. H. Daniel Vincent is Executive Director. A Board of 73 business and civic leaders as well as individuals of our community back this team.

4. What is the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust?

It is a county agency headed by a board of 27 volunteers appointed by the Miami-Dade County Commission charged with the responsibility of implementing the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan. These volunteers represent the business community, the religious community, the educational community, the provider community, the political community, and formerly homeless individuals. - link

5. Who are the leaders of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust?

Ronald Book is Chairman of the Trust. Sergio Gonzalez is Vice-Chairman. The Honorable Steven Leifman is Finance Chairman. David Raymond is Executive Director.

6. What is the mission of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust?

It is to oversee the implementation of the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan, to collect and disperse public funding in this regard, and to contract with the private sector (Community Partnership for Homeless and other not-for-profits) to create a true public/private partnership.

7. What is the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan?

The Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan is an exciting concept that we believe will provide a system of care for every homeless person in Miami-Dade County and make it a dream realized that no one is required to (or permitted to) sleep on the streets of our community. The fact that other communities in America have achieved that goal leads us to believe that we can do it here in Miami-Dade County.

8. What is the “continuum of care?”

The continuum of care is a “three stage plan” to meet the needs of the homeless:

-- Temporary Care adds new beds in two Homeless Assistance Centers to provide an “enforceable” alternative to sleeping on the street. The Homeless Assistance Center is a new concept that provides shelter, showers, clothing, food, mail, telephones along with counseling and the development of a “case plan” for each individual. A homeless person’s stay in such a center is “short-term” – approximately 60 days. A Homeless Assistance Center is the “intake” facility for those entering the “system of care.”

-- Primary Care provides a six to nine months stay with a focus on treatment, rehabilitation, employment, and job training. This care is specialized treatment (mental health; substance abuse; separate programs for men, women and children, AIDS patients, etc.) with the goal of preparing individuals to be self-sufficient.

-- Advanced Care provides supported long-term permanent housing such as church assisted housing, SRO’s and S+C.

9. For what purpose are private funds being sought?

Private funds are being sought for five major purposes.

1. To fund a portion of the operating budget of Community Partnership for Homeless in the operation of its Homeless Assistance Centers.

2. To fund a portion of the capital costs for constructing the original two Homeless Assistance Centers.

3. To fund a portion of the continuum of care and the primary care category.

4. To insure a steady flow of governmental funding for community projects through leveraging of significant private sector support.

5. To build an endowment to insure private sector funding over the long term.

10. What is the Florida Community Contribution Tax Credit?

Community Partnership for Homeless has qualified since August of 1996 for a special 50% Florida state corporate income tax credit. This provides an opportunity for corporate donors who pay this tax and support Community Partnership to realize an after tax cost of 29 cents per dollars. (Ask for the briefing paper package that explains this concept.) These gifts are restricted to capital needs only.

11. Why should I support this campaign?

The hallmark of this campaign is united community support.

The political leadership, the business leadership, and the homeless provider leadership of the community have come together to make all of this happen.

Not only is this of enormous benefit to thousands of formerly homeless men, women and children who are being helped in the continuum of care, but also it is a source of great community pride for which we are being nationally recognized. We should support this campaign because there is a need, because you have the opportunity, because your fellow community leaders have done so, and because there has never been a private campaign which leverages the public dollars in the way this campaign has done since 1993.

12. What is the Food & Beverage Tax for homeless?

When this problem was first assessed in 1992, it was deemed to be too large for the private sector to fund alone, and an “ongoing” source of public funding was needed. The Florida Legislature, supported by Governor Chiles and the Miami-Dade County Commission, made it possible for there to be a 1% sales tax on food and beverages sold in the larger restaurants in our community. This means that a $100 meal in one of the larger restaurants will provide $1 to implement the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan. There was no significant opposition to this tax, and it provides a portion of the operating costs of the Homeless Assistance Centers and other facilities in the continuum of care. The tax currently generates approximately $9 million per year.

13. What is a Homeless Assistance Center?

Community Partnership for Homeless operates two Homeless Assistance Centers. The first Center (at 1550 N. Miami Avenue) in downtown Miami-Dade County opened in October 1995. The second Center began operations in South Miami-Dade County at the former Homestead Air Force Base in October 1998.

It is, first of all, the intake center for the continuum of care. It is where men, women and children come in lieu of remaining on the streets. It is a relatively short-term residency, and in these Centers wonderful things happen to homeless people to help them regain and restore their lives. In addition to the expected food, clothing, showers and beds, there is a case management staff that works with each formerly homeless person. Miami-Dade County Public Schools operates adult and vocational classrooms, and job-training classes are available to the residents of the Homeless Centers. Both Health Foundation of South Florida and the Public Health Trust are instrumental in providing quality healthcare at both Centers.

Through a partnership with more than 80 churches, synagogues and civic groups, an evening meal is provided at each Center along with companionship and encouragement.

In addition, there is an array of social services provided at each Center unlike any in America. These include (on site) legal aid; Veterans Affairs; Florida Department of Children and Families; Social Security; and childcare, which is provided by Miami-Dade County Head Start.

Each resident of the Centers has a “case plan” designed to lead him or her to being a productive member of society.

14. How effective is the Homeless Assistance Center?

The Center at 1550 North Miami Avenue opened October 18, 1995. The Center in Homestead opened October 15, 1998. Through February 2008, both centers have served over 66,709 admissions, and the success rate for residents who have departed is over 61.26%. This is considered a remarkable accomplishment by those experienced in this field.

15. How many Homeless Assistance Centers are needed?

The Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan contemplates that there would be “up to three.” Currently two centers are operational, one in downtown Miami and another in Homestead. The expectation by leaders of the Trust and Community Partnership for Homeless is that these two Homeless Assistance Centers will be adequate for the implementation of the Plan on a countywide basis. The Plan is to operate with two homeless centers for several years to determine if this will adequately serve the county’s total homeless population. Our current belief is that two will accomplish our goals.

16. What was the role of the Governor’s Commission on Homeless in 1992 and 1993?

This was the beginning of our community effort. The Commission was charged with developing and beginning the implementation of a strategic plan to serve the homeless in Miami-Dade County. The Governor’s Commission accomplished its objectives with a strategic plan that, in essence, became the Miami-Dade County Community Homeless Plan. The Governor’s Commission worked cooperatively with the Dade Legislative Delegation and the Metro County Commission to insure the passage and implementation of the one percent tax on food and beverage to fund homeless programs. The Governor’s Commission on Homeless ceased operations in 1993.

17. Are in kind gifts of goods and services welcomed?

Absolutely. In kind gifts are both welcomed and necessary.

18. What kind of in kind gifts have been received?

Very visible in kind gifts of landscaping enhance the appearance of the Homeless Assistance Center at 1550 North Miami Avenue – and even more at the more spacious Center at Homestead. The landscape architect served on a pro bono basis. A volunteer team of architects designed both Centers. Several attorneys have provided legal services pro bono, and mattresses and hurricane shutters were provided pro bono. The largest in kind gift is from Health Foundation of South Florida which provided $3.3 million to operate the Health Clinic (at 1550 North Miami Avenue) over an initial period. The Public Health Trust Board voted in December 1996 to provide health care services for the South Miami-Dade Center. This is a comparable gift to that of Health Foundation. In kind and pro bono gifts are welcome, necessary, and warmly received.

19. What is the role of churches and synagogues?