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New ‘Street to Home Bridge Housing Program’ Will Help Melbourne’s Most Vulnerable Homeless Citizens

By  //  September 1, 2020

transforming the lives of people facing homelessness in our local community

The Melbourne City Council approved at its August 25 meeting a new program that will provide immediate temporary housing, with a path toward permanent housing, to at least 30 of Melbourne’s most vulnerable homeless individuals and families. (Daily Bread image)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The Melbourne City Council approved at its August 25 meeting a new program that will provide immediate temporary housing, with a path toward permanent housing, to at least 30 of Melbourne’s most vulnerable homeless individuals and families.

The Street to Home Bridge Housing program will be the first emergency temporary sheltering program of its kind in Brevard County.

In addition to helping homeless residents, the program will benefit Melbourne-based accommodation businesses (such as hotel/motels) and will provide public health and safety benefits to the broader Melbourne community, including the Downtown Melbourne business community.

City staff worked with partners Steadytown and Daily Bread to develop the program, which will provide immediate temporary housing for 30 homeless individuals/families in local hotels and motels.

It will prioritize the most vulnerable among Melbourne’s homeless citizens, including those who have chronic health conditions and those who are most at risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission.

After they are placed in temporary housing, a case manager will work with them to help them secure permanent housing. Partner Brevard Health Alliance will also provide COVID-19 testing and medical care.

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“Homelessness is a complicated problem and a challenge that the community needs to come together to address — the City of Melbourne is taking a leadership role in this,” said Daily Bread Executive Director Jeff Njus.

“This is the kind of program that can be transformational to the lives of people facing homelessness and to a community that’s facing the challenge of homelessness.”

The Street to Home Bridge Housing Program will be administered by Steadytown and operated by Daily Bread.

Funding for the temporary housing is being provided by Coronavirus Relief Funds that the City of Melbourne received through the State of Florida.

Federal Emergency Solutions Grant funds for COVID-19 relief administered by the Brevard Homeless Coalition will be pursued to provide coordinated resources for accessing and maintaining permanent housing.