Seminole County's only homeless shelter will need $600,000 in government aid to keep its doors open next year, the facility's executive director said Tuesday.
But the Board of County Commissioners, after hearing the request at its meeting, did not commit to spending that much on the Rescue Outreach Mission, located in Sanford.
Chris Ham, the executive director, said that since 2021 an influx of federal COVID-19 relief money helped the shelter operate and expand services. But those funds ran out last month, and the shelter's budget for 2025 is about $1.6 million.
Rescue Outreach Mission expects to raise about $800,000 from private donations, Ham said, but wants Seminole's government to chip in $600,000 in addition to the $200,000 in funding it approved earlier this year.
The demand for shelter beds is on the rise in Seminole and across Central Florida as more people struggle to afford housing. In the last year, Seminole's homeless population jumped from 274 people to 420, according to the Homeless Services Network.
Chairman Jay Zembower said he did not understand why the shelter did not make its additional funding request during the county's budget meeting earlier this year.
"I'm a little taken back that we went through this needs assessment, awarded $200,000, only to find out after the fact that there's $600,000 still needed," Zembower said.
Zembower also said he worried the county's homeless services organizations do not coordinate with each other, which could mean there is an overlap in services.
Before voting on additional funding, Zembower said he'd like the shelter to host a summit with other nonprofits to ensure the county's resources are being used efficiently.
But Commissioner Andria Herr, who sits on the shelter's board, disagreed.
"I don't think we have a duplication of efforts in the community with regard to putting heads in beds and moving them into housing," Herr said.
The new state law banning camping in public spaces, which took effect in October, means the Rescue Outreach Mission provides police a needed place, besides jail, to drop-off people found in violation of the law, she added.
Herr said the shelter likely will submit smaller funding requests throughout the year, and it will continue its own fundraising efforts, so it might not need as much from the county.
Funding the shelter and its "meaningful work" is critical, she added, as that money not only pays for shelter beds but also for case workers to help homeless people find permanent housing.
In 2021, Rescue Outreach Mission helped place 70 people into permanent housing. This year, it is on track to house more than 230.
"We need the business community, the individuals, the faith community and the governments to come together to support us in our operations," Ham said.