Florida Supportive Housing Coalition, August 2003 Newsletter

1. "Come Together" Sept. 24 in Miami Beach
2. A Message From The President
3. Partnerships to End Homelessness
4. Model Communities & Real Choice
5. Conference Agenda At A Glance
6. Keynote Speaker: Amy Long
7. Membership & Conference Registration Info
8. A Time To Re-Focus: Strategic Planning 2003
9. Upcoming Events & Funding Announcements

"Come Together" Sept. 24 in Miami Beach

The Florida Supportive Housing Coalition and Florida Housing Coalition will for a second time hold concurrent annual conferences this year on Sept. 22-24. 

If you are able to attend both, you can count on building your housing expertise and legislative knowledge at Florida Housing Coalition’s “Stayin’ Alive” conference Monday and Tuesday. Then on Wednesday, our coalition’s “Come Together” conference will focus on building the partnerships to “bring it all together” for people with special needs in your community.

Who should attend: Advocates, providers, government officials, and consumers of supportive housing for people with special needs, including the homeless, elders, veterans, people with disabilities, living with AIDS or HIV, mental illness or addiction.

[NOTE: Click here for online info about the conference.]

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A Message From The President

Participants at our June 2 strategic planning retreat agreed the top priority for our Coalition is making sure an equitable portion of government housing resources reaches the people who need it most—those who have an income less than 30% of area median income (AMI).
The Florida Supportive Housing Coalition and Florida Coalition for the Homeless are joining forces to conduct an information and advocacy campaign under the banner of a “30/30 Vision” for Florida.

There are good reasons to focus on this issue:

	A disabled person who depends on disability benefits received $545 per month in 2002, placing them at 18% of median income. The cost of a decent 1-bedroom anywhere in the state will consume 109% of that income; 93% for an efficiency.
	According to U.S. HUD, the greatest needs in the state are among those earning below 30% of area median income. Available housing assistance resources don’t come close to fulfilling this huge need.
	A major resource, Florida’s Housing Trust Funds, must be guarded against raids that balance the budget at the expense of the poorest and frailest citizens.

You can get involved and stay abreast of this campaign by contacting us at info@flshc.org. 

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Partnerships to End Homelessness

Nearly 50 people from Florida—and 1300 total—took part in the Partnerships to End Homelessness conference in July in Washington, DC, sponsored by National Alliance to End Homelessness, Corporation for Supportive Housing, and AIDS Housing of Washington.

Many in the Florida delegation took the opportunity to visit their legislators, letting them know about a new initiative to fund services in supportive housing, the Ending Long-term Homelessness Services Initiative (ELHSI).

As Jesse Fry of Florida AIDS Action observed, “This initiative has great potential for both Democratic and Republican support. It's got 'the right thing to do' written all over it, and it also creates cost savings." 

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Model Communities & Real Choice

Submitted by: Wendi Herzman 

Representatives of six states including Florida gathered in Denver, Colorado on July 17-18 to participate in a roundtable discussion of their Real Choice Systems Change Grants.

These grantees are all working to remove barriers for people with disabilities who wish to live in community settings rather than in an institution, a right guaranteed them by the Olmstead ruling, a 1999 Supreme Court decision.

Each state reported successes in reaching their goals. We also learned we share some of the same obstacles as well.

I will keep you updated on the efforts of this group to achieve access to services in supportive housing for people with disabilities.

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Conference Agenda At A Glance

8:30 Registration
9:00 Welcome & Introduction
9:20 Keynote Address: Amy Long, National Empowerment Center
10:30 ABC’s of Successful Advocacy: Buck Bagot, Corporation for Supportive Housing
11:15 Break
11:30 Breakout Sessions I: “Local Tools & Model Partnerships” and 
“Collaborations to End Chronic Homelessness”
12:30 Lunch 
1:45 Breakout Session II: “Making the Case for Supportive Housing” and 
“Medicaid Transformations & What They Mean for Florida”
2:45 Break
3:00 “Come Together” Interactive Plenary: Partnering With Local Organizations
4:30-5:00 Conference Wrap-Up & Annual Membership Meeting to Elect 2004 Board of Directors

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Keynote Speaker: Amy Long

Amy K. Long is a person who received four or five different diagnoses while in the mental health system years ago. She refused to be seen through those labels and fought to regain her voice and take charge of her healing journey. Today she is an Educator/Trainer for the National Empowerment Center.

Ms. Long has worked as a Psychiatric Nurse for the past 17 years in both community mental health settings and on inpatient units. She believes in the "healer within" and is herself an example that recovery is possible! 

Amy openly shares her journey as a consumer and weaves her story with passion and humor that inspires and challenges consumers and practitioners alike. 

In her keynote address to the 2003 Florida Supportive Housing Coalition Conference, Ms. Long will inspire our continued efforts to provide high quality supportive housing opportunities in Florida for all people with special needs. 

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Membership & Conference Registration Info

To receive the discounted conference registration fee of $150, you must first become a member of the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition by August 15. The non-member registration fee is $200. 

As a member, you will receive our newsletter, E-mail updates and discounted conference registration. Members can also participate in any of our committees.

Organizational members can nominate consumers of supportive housing for free “Consumer Memberships.” When we receive your membership form and dues, we will send you a nomination form. Also, a limited number of consumer scholarships will be available for the conference.

There’s one more way to get a free pass to the conference! Sign up your friends and contacts as paid members. Make sure they put your name on the “Referred by” space. Get the most new members to join the coalition, and you’ll be admitted free to the conference.

Last year’s popular “Founding Memberships” are replaced this year with “Sustaining Memberships.” When you become a Sustaining Member, your name will appear on our web site and promotional materials. Your investment of $1,000 ensures the continued success of the Coalition’s efforts in its second year.

To learn more about the coalition and its activities, including the committees listed on the membership form below, visit our web site at www.flshc.org. [NOTE: Membership form deleted.  Click here for membership form.  Committee info is here.]

Online registration:
If you have not already received a conference registration package from the Florida Housing Coalition, the easiest way to register for the conference is to use the online form at:  www.flhousing.org

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A Time To Re-Focus: Strategic Planning 2003

The Coalition’s board took a day to reflect on its progress and solidify plans for its “sophomore year” as a coalition. On June 2, thirty people gathered at Wakulla Springs State Park for the Coalition’s 2nd annual strategic planning retreat.

After reflecting on accomplishments and our progress over the past year, the group spent most of its time defining our advocacy agenda and creating a work plan for each committee.

Buck Bagot, an organizer for the Corporation for Supportive Housing, presented the qualities of a successful “issue campaign.” An “issue” is not simply a problem, it is a clear demand that is immediate, concrete, winnable, and will build the organization.

The Coalition defined its primary issue as saving the Sadowski Housing Trust Funds for affordable housing and making sure that housing funds reach more households below 30% of area median income.

Other strategic activities of the Coalition include building our membership, coordinating with related statewide initiatives, building the case for supportive housing, and promoting local partnerships.

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Upcoming Events & Funding Announcements

Upcoming Events:
Aug. 20: Revenue Maximization “How To” Summit in Tampa. For more info call United Way of FL, 850-488-8287.

Aug. 22-24: Self-Determination Conference at Hyatt Regency-City Center in Tampa sponsored by Southern Independence Movement. Visit www.southernmovement.org/flsdc2 or call 850-386-2022.

Sept. 19-21: NAMI Florida hosts its Annual Meeting & Conference at the Marriott Marina Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. Visit www.namifl.org or call 850-671-4445. 

Sept. 22-23: Florida Housing Coalition’s 16th Annual Conference “Stayin’ Alive” including a Special Needs Housing Track. Visit www.flhousing.org or call 850-878-4219.

Sept. 24: Florida Supportive Housing Coalition’s 2nd Annual Conference “Come Together” immediately following FL Housing Coalition conference. 

Oct. 20-21: Florida Coalition for the Homeless 8th Annual Conference at the Renaissance Worldgate Hotel in Kissimmee. Call 407-893-4410 or visit www.flacoalitionhomeless.com.

Funding Announcements:
The Office of Community Services of the US Dept of Health & Human Services announces a consolidated grant application for programs in community economic development, food and nutrition, family violence, and organizational capacity building. Application kits are available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/kits1.html.  Deadline is Aug. 11.

HUD & Dept of Labor announce funding for housing and employment services for people experiencing chronic homelessness. For more info, visit http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/other/chronic.pdf. Deadline is August 30.

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Copyright © 2003, Florida Supportive Housing Coalition. All rights reserved.
Revised: May 02, 2005 .