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Pasco Homelessness Plan Gets Federal Boost

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By RONNIE BLAIR

rblair@tampatrib.com

Published: February 24, 2009

DADE CITY - The nation's homelessness czar joined local government leaders Monday afternoon in announcing a 10-year effort for "ending the disgrace" of homelessness in Pasco County.

Philip Mangano, executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, said homelessness is a "social and spiritual plague" and that it is time to move beyond simply managing the problem.

In the next three to six months, state, county and city officials will join with community members to develop a 10-year plan designed to eliminate the problem in Pasco County.

About 380 such plans already exist in communities across the country, including Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, which should give Pasco a head start as it develops its own, Mangano said. He urged Pasco officials to use ideas that have been put to the test in other areas.

Officials couldn't put a dollar amount on the 10-year plan, but Mangano said this is a good time to launch such an effort because there is money in the federal economic stimulus plan that can be tapped.

In making the announcement, Mangano was joined on the steps of the Historic Dade City Courthouse by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, County Commissioner Ted Schrader, Zephyrhills City Manager Steve Spina, Port Richey Mayor Richard Rober and other officials.

The county commission and all six municipalities in Pasco have signed "America's Road Home" resolutions that embrace principles for creating the 10-year-plan.

"No one level of government can do this alone," Mangano said.

Fasano said the problem was brought home one day when he visited a Pasco County school, and a teacher pointed out a student whose family was living in a car.

"It's not just individuals," Fasano said. "We're talking families."

A head count a year ago showed that Pasco had about 4,000 homeless people, said Dan Campbell, president of the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County. Results from a recent count are still being compiled, but he said he expects this year's number to be higher because of the economy.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218.

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