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Advocates push for funding for Tampa homeless shelter

Posted Sep 8, 2011 by Christian M. Wade

Updated Sep 9, 2011 at 02:51 PM

As the city council weighs a ban on panhandling, homeless advocates want the city to come up with a plan for finding shelter for those who would be affected the move.

Jason Wilson, a ER doctor at Tampa General Hospital, said he is working with a coalition of local nonprofit organizations to build a homeless shelter somewhere in the city.

“If this ordinance passes, we don’t know where will take people,” Wilson told council at a workshop this morning. “We have to find some solutions to help these people.”

Wilson said he has met with law enforcement officials and business owners to identify possible locations and funding for the program, which would be modeled on Pinellas County’s Safe Harbor project, which houses about 300 people in a old county jail.

Wilson said the shelter would be a “one-stop” facility that would include healthcare and social services for homeless.

“Panhandling is a symptom of homelessness,” the physician said. “And finding a solution to this problem will require thinking outside the box.”

Hillsborough County has an estimated 17,000 homeless, and advocates say there is not enough resources and funding. One year ago, the county commission rejected a proposal for a “tent city” off Hillsborough Avenue, citing neighborhood opposition to the plan.

At Thursday’s workshop, council members voiced support for the proposal and asked city staff to come up with a list of city owned buildings that might be used for the facility, as well as possible funding sources.