Tampa community leaders discuss how to help those facing homelessness

TAMPA, Fla. - More housing, more resources and working together are three things community leaders said can help solve homelessness in Tampa during a city-led forum Tuesday night. 

A discussion open to the public at Hillsborough Community College in Ybor City, homelessness organizations said one solution can’t fix everything, and they have to meet people where they are in their situation, whether that’s on the street, in a car, a motel or shelter.

"Less people are sleeping on the streets in our community, however, they are the most visible, the most difficult and nearly impossible to house using traditional methods," said Antoinette Hayes-Triplett, chief executive officer at Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative.  

Hayes-Triplett said more than 600 people slept on the streets in 2020, and they expect to see more families and the elderly to experience homelessness this year. Metropolitan Ministries said the organization already sees the need. 

"The growth in homeless numbers is significant. The number of calls we’re getting for services has quadrupled," said Christine Long, the chief programs officer at Metropolitan Ministries.

Dozens of people listened and voiced concerns at the meeting, bringing up their neighborhoods, businesses, and access to services for the homeless. One Tampa resident said even rental help would make a difference.

"The biggest problem right now is stopping the evictions, to at least put a bandage on the hemorrhaging," said Getulio Gonzalez-Mulattieri, who is also a community organizer. "If we can do that, then we can stop the housing crisis from getting worse here in the city."

Getting a roof over every person’s head is the goal. Catholic Charities said its Tampa HOPE program sees people who are chronically homeless.

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"The average person has been homeless for over two years. Twenty-five percent of them are over the age of 60, very few come in with employment," said Maggie Rogers, the executive director of Catholic Charities.

From the Tampa Housing Authority to the Tampa Police Department to homelessness organizations, city experts on homelessness said they can’t solve the issue alone.

"We all just have to continue to work together as a community so that we can work as quickly as possible to help folks in need," said Long.

Some solutions discussed include building housing, partnering with more landlords and raising more money to pay for more services. Advocates said they’re fighting a situation the pandemic made worse, and they said it will take time to fix.