The Broward Partnership was viewed by some as a place where the homeless would just be warehoused when it began in 1999, but history shows that was totally wrong. The Partnership kicked off July with an $850,000 Legislative Award that will facilitate the development of Aspire 1650, an affordable housing rental community that will be dedicated to workforce housing and formerly homeless or at-risk individuals and families. Aspire 1650 will be located next to the North Homeless Assistance Center on Blount Road in Pompano Beach.
Aspire 1650 follows in the wake of the Partnership’s Seven on Seventh development, which opened last April and provides 72 residences and essential services next to the 230-bed Central Homeless Assistance Center (HAC) shelter facility in Fort Lauderdale.
Broward Partnership is led by Tom Campbell, who has been with the partnership for eight years and recently assumed the role of CEO.
The previous CEO of 25 years, Frances M. Esposito, continues to serve as chief strategy officer. In this role, she oversees public policy and the development of affordable housing.
Esposito explained that the partnership was established to open the Central HAC and address the homeless tent city near the main bus terminal in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Initially, homeowner associations opposed the initiative, fearing it would lower property values. “In fact, we increased property values, and crime rates dropped,” she said. “The program has been an extraordinary success, heralded by Broward County and recognized statewide. 25 years later, we transformed the Central HAC’s parking lot into 72 units of affordable, supportive housing.”
“What’s guided the last 25 years of this agency and what will continue to guide the agency is our vision statement: safe and stable housing for all,” Campbell says.
The need for affordable housing has grown more acute in recent years as rising housing costs make it difficult for low wage workers to find a place to live.
Esposito also notes that Broward County has one of the fastest-aging populations in the state, so many of the people experiencing homelessness arrive at the partnership’s facilities with wheelchairs, walkers, canes and oxygen tanks.
“We are blessed because we have a healthcare clinic onsite that is able to deal with chronic diseases and other medical challenges that our clients come with,” Campbell says. The healthcare clinic includes a three-chair dental suite that provides homeless adults much-needed oral health care at no cost and helps clients with their overall health, and improves confidence, which can lead to improved employment opportunities.
Court ruling is the latest challenge
In what NPR called the biggest decision on homelessness in decades, the U.S. Supreme Court on June 28 ruled that cities can ban people from sleeping and camping in public places.
Starting in October, Florida counties and cities can’t allow individuals to regularly sleep or camp on public property, at public buildings, or on public rights-of-way. Starting in January, businesses or individuals can file lawsuits against the cities or counties if they see that happening.
While some cities have been frustrated with those experiencing homelessness who camp in parks and other public spaces, advocates for the homeless are very concerned about where people will go when that enforcement happens. That clearly makes the partnership’s role even more critical in Broward County.
“People can be in the shelter for as long as they need to address the barriers and challenges that they have for being housed. The average length of stay for a client with the partnership is about six months.” Campbell says. Case managers help them to secure safe housing, but there are a host of other support services, including behavioral health services and healthcare. “We provide all of that on onsite with the psychiatrists, licensed clinicians and master’s level therapists. We have a robust job training program where we match people based on their skills to jobs within the community.”
Quarterly job fairs attract major employers, such as Coca-Cola, Publix and FedEx. Local businesses also play key roles in helping the Partnership.
Bettering lives and the community
The Seven on Seventh building will soon open a workforce development hub that will offer job training and professional development activities. It will also partner with Broward College and CareerSource Broward to enhance these opportunities.
Seven on Seventh’s 72 units are a mix of studios, one and two-bedroom apartments, with rents ranging from $400 to $1,200 a month. “We are contributing to the betterment of Broward County because we’re providing housing for many people who support our tourism industry, including our restaurants and hoteliers, as well as services for the local community such as delivery drivers and warehouse workers,” Campbell says. “I like to say that we didn’t pave paradise to put up a parking lot. We built paradise on a parking lot! And if you see the building, it’s just a phenomenal piece of architecture. It features a beautiful mural on the tower. We provided the first mural on the north side of Avenue of the Arts, and now other buildings along the Seventh Avenue corridor are putting up murals.”
Broward Partnership aims to replicate the success of Seven on Seventh with Aspire 1650 in Pompano Beach. With the $850,000 Legislative Award, the partnership and its development partner, Green Mills Group, are now poised to apply for funding from the Florida Housing Finance Corp. to support this project.
“We’re nearing 40,000 lives touched – on any given night, we have about 750 people living under a roof and under our care. Our impact is broad and significant. We want to spread the word about the great work we do here and highlight the amazing staff who make it all possible,” says Campbell.
Broward Partnership welcomes volunteers and offers small groups the opportunity to prepare and serve meals through the Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers program. Please visit (https://bphi.org) to learn more about how you can support their mission to end homelessness. Whether through volunteering, donating or partnering with them, the community’s involvement is crucial in providing housing and stability for those in need.
