affordable housing and rents just took a major hit here (Sarasota: mobile home, neighborhood)

[Above Average Bear]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Will illegal immigrants be allowed to use it?

Will U.S. Manatee county residents be turned away if at capacity, while illegals are inside?

In my opinion, this facility should be reserved for U.S. citizens, who have resided in Manatee County recently...only.

I hope that this is the case! America First!!

[wondermint2]

Stand up for mental health care, Sarasota County. Why? Because your leaders won't.

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/oth...73653760&ei=51

Four years after proposing a special tax district to support increasing mental health needs – and a year and a half after throwing out the recommendations made by experts as to who should receive that funding, rewriting the funding criteria and reassessing all the applicants – the Sarasota County Commission last week finally voted 5-0 to distribute over $11.4 million to dozens of local organizations supporting our most needy community members.

Though the release of the much anticipated and long-delayed funding should have been a cause for joy, it instead became a reason for outrage when, without reason or explanation, the commission denied funding to a number of organizations entirely despite their having earned qualifying scores by the board’s own criteria and recommendations from the subject matter experts on the two revised advisory councils (BHAC, the Behavioral Health Advisory Council and HSAC, the Health and Human Services Advisory Council).

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Stand up for mental health care, Sarasota County. Why? Because your leaders won't.

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/oth...73653760&ei=51

Four years after proposing a special tax district to support increasing mental health needs – and a year and a half after throwing out the recommendations made by experts as to who should receive that funding, rewriting the funding criteria and reassessing all the applicants – the Sarasota County Commission last week finally voted 5-0 to distribute over $11.4 million to dozens of local organizations supporting our most needy community members.

Though the release of the much anticipated and long-delayed funding should have been a cause for joy, it instead became a reason for outrage when, without reason or explanation, the commission denied funding to a number of organizations entirely despite their having earned qualifying scores by the board’s own criteria and recommendations from the subject matter experts on the two revised advisory councils (BHAC, the Behavioral Health Advisory Council and HSAC, the Health and Human Services Advisory Council).

Sarasota County Commission cuts childcare, homeless services, Boys and Girls Clubs funds

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sa...ds/ar-AA1h6N5W

Amid ongoing crises in housing and childcare, thousands of local children, working families, and residents facing homelessness will be hurt by major cuts to social service programs approved by the Sarasota County Commission, several nonprofits say.

Ahead of a new budget year starting Oct. 1, the commission voted last week to ignore the recommendations of its own advisory councils and remove funding for more than two dozen different programs. That included more than a million dollars for a number of long-standing services.

Millions of dollars of federal grants at risk

Aside from education and childcare, the commission also defunded a system supporting homelessness services.

Instead of receiving a slight increase this year to $225,000, as recommended by the advisory council for a key system that coordinates homeless services across the county, the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness will get $0 for it.

A nearly 18% cut from its overall budget, the loss of those funds guts Suncoast’s community services information system, said Kevin Stiff, Suncoast’s interim CEO.

The system is a crucial database used by a vast network of case managers in Sarasota and Manatee counties’ continuum of care, which Suncoast leads. It tracks services and information on thousands of residents who are homeless or close to becoming homeless.

“The system is critical to our community response as it relates to reducing homelessness,” Stiff said.

What’s more, the system meets a data-collection requirement set by HUD in order for the area’s continuum of care to qualify for millions of dollars in grants.

Now those funds are also at risk of disappearing.

“It’s going to affect the most needy,” Stiff said of the county's decision to defund the information system on homelessness services.

As at the other agencies, Stiff said he was hopeful that commissioners will reconsider their decision at next week’s meeting.

He plans to be there, as does Kolowith from the ELC.

“We never lose hope,” Kolowith said. “We never stop advocating for the children and the community.”

[loves2read]

Something political behind it
Don’t know what but am sure others do
The county is all about political gain not public good

[beach43ofus]

The welfare state failed, so maybe they have a better idea.

This may also be a strategy to avoid having to take illegals.

Churches, & not-for-profits will pick up some of the slack.

Is anyone out there seeing any homeless or starving children in Sarasota County? I'm not seeing any myself, but I'm not saying they don't exist.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by loves2read

Something political behind it
Don’t know what but am sure others do
The county is all about political gain not public good

Yes a political motive was suggested in the original article. It implied commissioner Mike Moran was behind the changes for political/personal reasons.

"Many involved in the years-long process to get to this point were stunned at the board’s selections under the leadership of Commissioner Mike Moran, who was the first to propose a special mental health district in 2019, but also the first to reject the recommendations of the original BHAC and HSAC in July 2022 and call for a new vetting process.

When Commissioner Ron Cutsinger asked who “makes the decision” about denying recommended organizations, Moran dodged a direct answer.

“There are some very specific things on some of these applicants with a lot of money that not in two lifetimes would I approve them,” he said, adding, “No disrespect to the advisory boards.”

When I asked the same question (in writing, as per his request), Moran simply replied, “These are Sarasota County taxpayer funds and our board is serious about making the applicants responsible for measurable results.”

This left no other conclusion but that those decisions had been made by Moran himself, for either personal or political reasons. It did not go unnoticed that the three programs at Teen Court (of which Moran’s wife Lori is COO) all received funding (two received bonuses), though they had failed to earn the first advisory council’s recommendation. Or that programs that received nothing had slighted Moran in the past (the School Readiness Coalition); made staffing changes he disapproved of (the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness’ termination of Chris Johnson); or are the target of political conservatives (ALSO Youth, which supports LGBTQ youth).

“Basically they went to a system where they can reward their friends and punish their enemies,” said someone who had been involved with the funding process from its inception – and who asked not to be named (for obvious reasons).

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

The welfare state failed, so maybe they have a better idea.

This may also be a strategy to avoid having to take illegals.

Churches, & not-for-profits will pick up some of the slack.

Is anyone out there seeing any homeless or starving children in Sarasota County? I'm not seeing any myself, but I'm not saying they don't exist.

As is somewhat typical for Sarasota County commissioners they apparently failed to do due diligence on the recommendations made by commissioner Moran. Did Moran base his recommendations on political and personal bias? - some are suggesting he did (see my previous post for evidence of this). Now as a result of public outcry there will be another commissioner meeting on September 26th and this topic will be voted on again.

"Other than Cutsinger’s meek pushback, none of the other commissioners raised a single objection. In fact, it appeared they were seeing Moran’s selections’ spreadsheet for the first time, right along with the public. You had to wonder if they really understood what they were voting for.

Apparently, they may not have. Given the public outcry, the board has decided to revisit the vote at its next meeting, Tuesday, Sept. 26. (You can attend in person at 1600 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, or watch the meeting online.) Personally, “not in two lifetimes” would I miss this opportunity to hold these elected officials accountable."

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

As is somewhat typical for Sarasota County commissioners they apparently failed to do due diligence on the recommendations made by commissioner Moran. Did Moran base his recommendations on political and personal bias? - some are suggesting he did (see my previous post for evidence of this). Now as a result of public outcry there will be another commissioner meeting on September 26th and this topic will be voted on again.

"Other than Cutsinger’s meek pushback, none of the other commissioners raised a single objection. In fact, it appeared they were seeing Moran’s selections’ spreadsheet for the first time, right along with the public. You had to wonder if they really understood what they were voting for.

Apparently, they may not have. Given the public outcry, the board has decided to revisit the vote at its next meeting, Tuesday, Sept. 26. (You can attend in person at 1600 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, or watch the meeting online.) Personally, “not in two lifetimes” would I miss this opportunity to hold these elected officials accountable."

Sarasota County Commissioners restore some non-profit funding

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sa...45b15296&ei=85

At a Sarasota County Commission meeting on Sept. 26, commissioners moved to restore some non-profit funding they previously removed earlier in the month. Six Sarasota non-profits were fast tracked including The Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota, while others required discussion and a vote by commissioners. That included the Early Learning Coalition.

Director of Outreach for the ELC said getting the funds restored was a relief.

“We are very thankful for them. For listening to us, for listening to our community, for listening to our providers and partners, and that cry out for how critical access to childcare is,” said McClendon.

The discussion did bring up opposition to restoring the ELC’s funds. Commissioner Mike Moran mentioned a conversation he had with his father about how the funding wasn’t necessary.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Sarasota County Commissioners restore some non-profit funding

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sa...45b15296&ei=85

At a Sarasota County Commission meeting on Sept. 26, commissioners moved to restore some non-profit funding they previously removed earlier in the month. Six Sarasota non-profits were fast tracked including The Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota, while others required discussion and a vote by commissioners. That included the Early Learning Coalition.

Director of Outreach for the ELC said getting the funds restored was a relief.

“We are very thankful for them. For listening to us, for listening to our community, for listening to our providers and partners, and that cry out for how critical access to childcare is,” said McClendon.

The discussion did bring up opposition to restoring the ELC’s funds. Commissioner Mike Moran mentioned a conversation he had with his father about how the funding wasn’t necessary.

More details about this from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. No paywall for this article:

Sarasota County Commission reverses cuts to some childcare, Boys and Girls Club programs

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mark...45b15296&ei=13

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Tiny home community for homeless veterans could be in the works in Manatee County

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ti...005c185d&ei=24

A tiny home community for homeless veterans could be in the works in Manatee County, where local officials continue to balance a desire to address homelessness in the community with concern about potential adverse impacts.

Officials in Manatee County and the city have discussed concern about growing homelessness issues near downtown Bradenton — an area where they want to encourage more vertical development and investment — and have voiced intentions to consider an overnight camping ban.

Because the urban core is also where most nonprofits help the homeless community, officials worry those services draw additional homeless residents to the area.

"The plan is to provide housing for the homeless, period," Commissioner Jason Bearden told the Herald-Tribune. "There are a lot of areas where they are just sleeping, they are camping out on people's land or things like that. So our solution to that is maybe we need to create a bed for them, or somewhere they can go because honestly, that's the reason why they're sleeping in a field."

Bearden is spearheading a proposal to build a tiny home community on about 8 acres of available land behind a planned veteran's memorial park on a 24-acre county-owned property Buckeye Road, east of the former Piney Point fertilizer plant.

The property is located near employment hubs such as SeaPort Manatee, nearby distribution centers, and manufacturing and development project sites.

"It's not just about the housing," Bearden said. "You want to get these guys employed. You want to get these guys their benefits. There are a lot of veterans that struggle with that, so that's why we're going to make it that in Manatee County, we can take care of those veterans."

Bearden said he also intends to pitch a Transitional Assistance Program to help veterans transition out of homelessness.

There is an entire thread about veterans housing in Manatee County here:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/sara...servation.html