opinion

Brevard law enforcement is changing how it deals with homelessness thanks to task force

The woman was panhandling at the intersection of Eau Gallie Boulevard and U.S. 1 when she was approached by a Melbourne police officer.

Cmdr. Marc Claycomb didn't chastise or arrest her. He talked with her about her situation. He learned she has two children and a husband who's out of a job; that they're living in a Melbourne hotel. And then, he offered his knowledge of services that hopefully can lead to a better life.

That approach is part of a countywide effort to best share resources and tackle problems related to homelessness, from lack of affordable housing to mental health issues. It brings together the Brevard Homeless Coalition — which consists of more than 70 nonprofits, churches, colleges, and government organizations — with law enforcement who regularly come in contact with displaced people and issues related to their situations.

The challenges for the task forces are many. Between never enough funding and the dearth of low-cost housing, collaboration is critical, said Claycomb, MPD spokesman.

"We're sharing what works and what doesn't, using the resources we have that are available to us right now to the best of our ability, to help to solve some of these issues," he said.

"It's going to have to be a joint community solution and we are part of the community."

The Homeless Coalition works with Space Coast police departments, the county's Department of Housing and Human Services and the Public Safety Coordinating Council. Representatives from the Sheriff's Office and Brevard County Fire Rescue offer guidance on the coalition's board, said Miriam Moore, BHC executive director.

Homelessness is a multifaceted issue, Moore said — one which requires collaborative effort from the entire community and cannot be solved by one person or agency.

It’s "critical that we work with law enforcement agencies." Moore said, allowing for the creation of diversion processes and identifying shelter and housing options.

"This is not a "one size fits all" challenge, Moore said.

"What works for one community might not work for another. In some cities, police officers are able to directly refer people to services," she said. "In others, providers are able to come out and meet with individuals as needed, providing a diversion process that keeps people out of jail for what we consider 'homeless crimes.' We want to work together and figure out what works in each area so we can find solutions for all of Brevard."

Law enforcement can handle crisis on the front lines, "but we as a community can’t help families stabilize, recover, and thrive over the long term without community partners," said Claycomb, a Brevard native.

Accordingly, the Melbourne Police Department works with The Daily Bread, Steadytown (Streets to Homes), South Brevard Sharing Center, Volunteers of America and a number of other resources within the Brevard Homeless Coalition "to make a meaningful impact in our community," Claycomb said.

Problems driving people to live on the street, hotels or their cars are the same countywide, Claycomb said. Last year, volunteers counted 815 homeless people living in Brevard during the annual point-in-time head count. This year's count was conducted Jan. 26 through Jan. 27, and numbers are still being compiled. Like last year, volunteers found families with children, veterans and older residents.

"Imagine losing your home — because you were paying out more than half your check in rent and then something happened, like your hours got cut, or your kid got sick. Many of us would turn to our families for help, but if that support isn’t there, we might not know what to do," Claycomb said.

The benefits of this approach are many, such as helping people get into low-cost housing "so that they can work on the other areas of their life that will improve when they have a safe place to be," said Claycomb.

This approach, Claycomb said, also reduces calls for the police department for non-police-related issues related to homelessness.

Some calls, he said, are of a criminal nature and are addressed as such. Many come from those who want police to remove a person from a street or neighborhood. But police can only make an arrest if the person in question, for example, is obstructing traffic, or pathways. Sleeping on benches, asking for money in certain areas of town and panhandling are not illegal actions, Claycomb said.

“A lot of (callers) don't want to accept that as lawful actions. Sometimes it's a hard sell,” he said.

Is the task force's approach working?

"Overall, we have seen an increase in our ability to house people with the cities and agencies, including the Housing Authorities, working directly with the Coalition," Moore said. "Through new funding sources, we are able to provide long-term supportive case management services which assists those who might not remain housed on their own."

As for the woman whose family had no home and no income? She was referred to South Brevard Sharing Center for help they can provide, but she's still panhandling, Claycomb said.

"She was overcome with emotion that I stopped to check out with her, and was ensuring that she was connected with services," Claycomb said.

"She was embarrassed, but thankful for the assistance — and she really wants to get off the streets."

Contact Kennerly at 321-242-3692 or bkennerly@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @bybrittkennerly Facebook: /bybrittkennerly

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