President's homeless czar praises Pinellas Hope

Philip Mangano, center, executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, talks with St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, far left, Pinellas County Sheriff's deputy Tim Myers, second from left, and Frank Murphy, right, of Catholic Charities, at Pinellas Hope. Mangano toured Pinellas Hope and spoke with the media. [Scott Keeler, Times]

The nation's homelessness czar praised the controversial outdoor shelter Pinellas Hope after touring the tent city this morning.

"Every bit of care that is requested is being given here,'' said Philip Mangano, executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. "Is this ideal? Absolutely not, but it is an incremental step towards a permanent solution.''

Mangano, who has criticized of local governments for spending money on temporary shelters in the past instead of permanent solutions, described Pinellas Hope as "very calm and peaceful."

Along for the tour was St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch and a slew of other local dignitaries.

Catholic Charities opened Pinellas Hope in December on 10 acres near 126th Avenue North in unincorporated Pinellas. Since then, the temporary shelter has served 466 people, 95 of which have found permanent housing. The tent city will close April 30.

-- Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[Dr_Dug]

Praising St.Pete Officials? That's a joke. Did Baker show them the box cutters they used to destroy the tents? Baker hates the homeless but likes to pretend he cares so the honors of hard work gets bestowed on him and other officials!! Our Mayor and his friends are fakes!!!

The only "fakes" in this situation are the out of town "activists" who created this issue. When almost 80% percent of the original tent city residents lived in Pinellas for less then 6 months - it's an indication of a problem being imported.

Rev Wright has a nice home in Tampa - how many homeless is he housing there? Zero.

Eric Rubin (who moved here from Philadelphia, PA to - by his own admission in a SPTIMES article - get "rights for the city's homeless population by whatever means necessary") lives in a nice home in St. Pete, across the street from a large park with a view of the water. How many homeless is he housing there? Zero.

Hypocrites.

Fools like to focus on the box-cutter incident (which was a terrible thing for those few officers to do) because it allows them to avoid talking about everything the city does for the homeless. Not the least of which is hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars subsidizing almost 30 charities within the city boundaries which provide resources ranging from food and medical, to showers and storage space for the homeless.

[Bruce WRight]

To the person who excused me of causing the problem, you sir are completely clueless and ignorant to the facts. I live in St. Pete, not Tampa. I have taken in numerous homeless people through the years. I am not rich or even middle class. I, in fact, live with roomates in an intentional community at this time in my life, including someone who was formerly homeless. The residents of tent city and the homeless in general, as a majority, over 85%, have been in ST. Petersburg for more then 6 months. Sir, you need to learn the facts! Why don't you look at the facts. Over 25% of the homeless are vets. Women with Children constitute the fastest growing number of homeless. 60% of the homeless work and a significant number are mentally ill. More then 40% have been here for more than 5 years. Get a clue whoever wrote this ignorance! WHat about the homeless who have been victims of hate crimes, who have been murdered, who have been brutalized and harassed by the Police. THis ignorance must stop. What have you done to help the homeless?

[William]

Baker is a phony -- Catholic Charities should get the credit for Pinellas Hope.