KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Kissimmee is preparing to accept a $200,000 grant from the Florida Department of Children and Families to fund a pilot program aimed at addressing homelessness in the city.
This grant will fund a pilot program that will support the Community Engagement Unit by providing services to assist individuals in difficult, high-risk situations and those involved in unauthorized camping on public property.
The unit aims to deliver a comprehensive, multidisciplinary response that integrates homeless services coordination, law enforcement diversion, on-site mental health services and ongoing collaboration with local agencies.
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While the funding is welcomed, some residents living on the streets feel that more should have been done earlier.
“I mean, everybody lives in the woods, and it’s nothing great, and don’t I don’t feel like they’re helping,” said Timothy, who is experiencing homelessness.
The pilot program will include a homeless service coordinator, law enforcement officers, a mental health provider and partnerships with local agencies.
The goal is to divert individuals from the criminal justice system through early engagement, connection to supportive services, and pathways to stable housing. Services will be deployed to community contact locations as needed and coordinated with community-based providers to maximize impact.
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Muhammad, another resident affected by homelessness, expressed the challenges of the current situation.
“I’m not a young man,” he said.
Timothy described the difficulty of having no place to call home, especially with the statewide public camping ban.
“Everybody’s homeless and nowhere to go. How hard is that? It’s really hard. You see it right now. What can I do? Not much. Ride around with a big bag on my bike,” he told News 6.
He also pointed out the availability of apartments in the area, urging city leaders to take action.
“They build all these apartments and stuff around here, and most of them are empty. I mean, ain’t nobody living in them, somebody could be,” he said. “Help us. Put us inside.”
Kissimmee’s city commission is set to accept the grant at its regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m.
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