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Even for a homeless shelter, location is key

By EILEEN SCHULTE
Published April 19, 2007

LARGO - Situated near the Pinellas County Jail and a wastewater treatment plant, the former Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority building isn't exactly desirable to developers.

And it may not be desirable to homeless people, either.

Some officials from across Pinellas County had thought the empty 16,200-square-foot, midcounty facility, now owned by Largo, would make an excellent shelter and services center to help those who are trying to get into permanent housing.

But now, some of those same advocates are speculating that it might not work after all because of the building's location, land use issues and cost - at least $1.2-million to convert the property to house the homeless for as little as three years.

Despite the rough road ahead, homeless advocates and the coalition of local governments that make up the Homeless Leadership Network say they would like to find a way to make it work.

"It's still a good potential site," said St. Petersburg Deputy Mayor David Metz.

But "we're not putting all our eggs in this basket," acknowledged Sarah Snyder, executive director of the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless.

Among the problems: The 5-acre site may not be convenient enough for those living on the streets. Preliminary plans had called for 150 beds where people could stay for up to 90 days.

Situated on 49th Street, the PSTA site is miles from the beach and downtown areas where the homeless traditionally congregate.

Like most people, the homeless have their comfort zones, said Pinellas County's Health and Human Services director Maureen Freaney.

"Someone told me, 'We have beach homeless and we have downtown homeless,' " she said. "They tend to stay in their areas."

Another issue: Both Pinellas County and the state must approve a land use change before the property can become a shelter.

And because the old PSTA building is not set up to house people, modular buildings would have to be added to the site to house the homeless.

That could cost about $1.2-million to purchase 13 or so modular facilities, according to Snyder.

The PSTA proposal will be discussed at a Pinellas County Commission work session today when the Homeless Leadership Network will report on the progress of the county's 10-year plan, adopted in 2006, to end homelessness.

But the Homeless Leadership Network will also discuss other options, such as adding beds at existing shelters.

And there has also been the offer of a $500,000 matching grant from Harry Stonecipher, former CEO of Boeing, to help fund new shelter space.

But Largo Mayor Pat Gerard said she has been told that Stonecipher "wants his money to go toward a permanent facility."

The PSTA property would only be available for the next three to five years until Largo expands its sewage treatment plant.

Also still undetermined is how to fund the project's operation.

"No one knows who will pay to operate it," Gerard said. "People assume it will be the county."

Eileen Schulte can be reached at 727 445-4153 or schulte@sptimes.com.

[Last modified April 19, 2007, 07:20:00]