Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Homelessness deserves Broward business community’s involvement
Chronic homelessness — defined as when an individual with a disabling condition has been continuously homeless for a year or more — has become a very visible, deeply disturbing humanitarian crisis on the streets of Broward County. It’s a big, complex, national problem that requires us to do more. If we as a community want the world to know that we care about quality of life for our current and future residents, as well as for the homeless individuals themselves, we, the Broward business community, must do more.
That is why we are proud to announce that we’re co-chairing the Broward Business Council on Homelessness and supporting United We End Homelessness, joint initiatives of the United Way of Broward County and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance. Many business leaders have already signed on, and we have room for more at the table.
Why is the business community and our economic development organization joining forces with the United Way on this issue? Because homelessness is a human tragedy that not only speaks to our morality as a society but also to the economic engines that drive our society forward.
Even in paradise, our ability to recruit and retain business is mitigated by the homeless plight. There are extensive financial and human costs associated with homeless remaining on the streets.
We have incredible providers in Broward on the front lines, housing and serving more than 1,100 homeless people daily. That is impressive. We should be proud, even as we recognize that it is not enough. We must do more to support those agencies and providers with the resources they need.
Many individuals are living on our streets for reasons beyond their control, including hard times, mental health challenges, physical limitations, or just bad luck. Their stories could be our stories. Regardless of the reasons for their homelessness, every day they wage a personal battle to survive in the shadows of our office buildings and our favorite lunchtime spots.
We, the members of the business community, are deeply committed to contributing to solutions. Our immediate steps are to fully analyze the realities and numbers of those who are homeless. Using the nationally proven “Housing First Model,” we are currently collaborating on a strategic plan with other community leaders. Together we are working to facilitate solutions to problems, evaluating options and building consensus among the stakeholders. And finally, we will evaluate our progress at each step along the way, holding ourselves and our community’s leaders accountable for meeting measurable and agreed upon results. Broward County is home to more than two million people. It’s our goal to find solutions to homelessness so that every citizen in Broward has a place to call home.
To be successful, we need your voice as an advocate. Visit and sign up at UnitedWeEndHomelessness.org so we can keep you informed of our progress, and in turn educate our entire community on the issues. Together, we will make a difference for our homeless population in Broward County.