Project offers more hope for homeless in Pinellas

Officials gathered this morning to break ground for a project that will essentially swell the population of Pinellas Hope, a 20-acre site that has been the location for 250 tents for the homeless for the last two years.

Now, Catholic Charities will oversee the construction of 80 efficiency-style apartments on the same land, a move that will bring the population to roughly 350 people, said Frank Murphy, president of the philanthropic organization.

"It's going to get bigger," Murphy said.

Construction of the apartments, along with a community center, is being paid for with a $3 million state grant, with an additional $1 million from government entities in Pinellas, including the city of St. Petersburg.

Two years ago, Pinellas Hope opened at the end of 126th Avenue, west of 49th Street North, in a mid-Pinellas County area far away from any residences. It was intended as a seasonal tent city to shelter homeless people on an emergency basis. People cannot stay longer than 90 days.

The project has now been called Pinellas Hope I. The apartment complex and community center are being called Pinellas Hope II.

While the tents will continue to serve the homeless on an emergency basis, the apartments will serve a different function, Murphy said. Namely, people will stay there with a view toward moving into permanent housing, preferably near their families or workplace. Some of those in the tents merely return to the street after their stay.

A person for whom the apartments would be ideal might be someone who needs a protracted stay until her disability benefits are secured, said Murphy. That scenario would not likely unfold for someone moving around in a tent every 90 days.

Asked whether the expansion of Pinellas Hope would serve as a magnet for homeless people from outside the county, officials were doubtful. For one, they said, there is a screening process that requires someone be in the county for roughly six months. For another, they say, any would-be resident of Pinellas Hope has to be referred to the site by a team of social workers and law enforcement officers.

The waiting list on average has roughly 25 to 30 people, St. Petersburg police say.

In addition, only so many people can be allowed on the 20-acre parcel if Pinellas Hope is to abide by county density requirements. Murphy, of Catholic Charities, put that number at just more than 400 people.

Meanwhile, across Tampa Bay, the Hillsborough County Commission is scheduled to make its final decision on Oct. 13 on Hillsborough Cares, a facility for 250 homeless adults who would live in tents or wooden shelters for up to 90 days at a 12-acre site at Hillsborough Avenue and Harney Road.

In previous votes a majority of commissioners have signaled support for the shelter by directing county staff to amend zoning codes to add a definition for "homeless encampment." A land use hearing officer recently recommended approval after initially rejecting the project.

Many area residents from East Lake Park, Highland Pines, Grant Park and Northview Hills are opposed based on fears of lowered property values and increased crime. They say a lawsuit will be filed if the shelter is approved.