Who is the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition?

The Florida Supportive Housing Coalition is a statewide organization dedicated to fostering the development of housing for various special needs populations, including: the elderly, certain veterans returning from service abroad, young people aging out of the foster care system, persons with a disability, those at risk or suffering from homelessness, ex-offenders, and others.

Founded in November 2001, the Coalition is committed to promoting long-term housing solutions for people with special needs, particularly the homeless, disabled, elderly, people with mental illnesses, and other special populations.

By working together to ensure supportive housing is available to all who need it, we will have a positive impact on their lives, while making significant positive changes in the social and economic structures of our State and communities.

About the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition

Over forty-five leading organizations, providers and advocates of housing and services to Florida’s special needs populations have come together as the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition. Founded in November 2001, the Coalition is committed to creating long-term, independent housing solutions for people with special needs in Florida ---particularly the homeless, developmentally disabled, mentally ill, and elderly, youth exiting the foster care system and person living with HIV/AIDS.

The Florida Supportive Housing Coalition is dedicated to advocating for public policy and governmental structures that encourage self-sufficiency, housing choice, and community-based opportunities for people with special needs in Florida. In its short history, The Florida Supportive Housing Coalition has placed great emphasis on coalition building. In part a “coalition of coalitions”, it has eight Partner Organizations that share common goals and are working together to achieve them. It has also brought together supportive housing advocates, consumers of supportive housing and organizations serving different populations who confront the same supportive housing challenges.

Florida Supportive Housing Board of Directors

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT: Shannon Nazworth, Executive Director, Ability Housing of Northeast Florida, Inc.
VICE PRESIDENT: Marsha Popkey, Housing Program Manager, Department of Human Services, Lee County Government
SECRETARY: Karen Koch, Director of Research and Policy, Florida Council for Community Mental Health
TREASURER: Edi Erb, Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Maria Pellerin Barcus, Housing Partners of Florida, LLC.

DIRECTORS:

Deb Blizzard, Community Development, Agency for Persons with Disabilities
Lisa DeVitto, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation
Wayne Dreggors, Seminole Community Mental Health
Suzanne Edwards, Catholic Charities Bureau
Gary Fink, Housing Division Director, Housing Partnership, Inc.
Mark Fontaine, Executive Director, Florida Alcohol & Drug Abuse Association
Olga Golik, Director of Housing and Advocacy, Citrus Health Network, Inc.
Freyja Sutherland Harris, Program Director, Florida Coalition for the Homeless
Susanne Homant, Interim Executive Director, Celeste Putnam
Jack Humburg, Director of Housing, Boley Centers, Inc. Health Care
Lisa Kinser, Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc.
Rosa Morgan, Housing and Economic Justice Coordinator, Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Clint Raynor, Chief Office of Consumer and Family Affairs, Florida Department of Children and Families, Mental Health
Janet Riley, Legal Aid Service of Broward County, Inc.
Michelle Saunders, Partners in Crisis

MEMBERS EX OFFICIO:

Mark A. Engelhardt, Faculty, System Development, University of South Florida, Florida Mental Health Inst.
Janet Hamer, Community Development Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Thomas Liberti, Chief, Bureau of HIV/AIDS, Florida Department of Health
Daniel M. Robbin, VISN 8 Homeless Coordinator, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Theresa Rush, Florida Department of Health