About HLN
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Overview
Mission
Composition
Organizing Documents
History
Membership
Staff
The Homeless Leadership Network (HLN) is a planning body comprised of elected officials, community leaders and institutional representatives whose purposes are to address homelessness issues in Pinellas County from a policy perspective and generate community support for the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness in Pinellas County.
The Homeless Leadership Network is the leadership group in the Pinellas homeless services system. The Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless serves as the operations arm and fiscal agent, and the Coalition staff provides staff support for the HLN. The Homeless Leadership Network and the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless are “working together to end homelessness in Pinellas County.”
Click here to download documents for the upcoming meeting of the HLN.
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The Homeless Leadership Network will work to end homelessness and wil work to ensure implementation of the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness by providing advocacy, planning, prioritization and accountability for homeless services in Pinellas County.
To review the HLN's priorities for 2008-2009, click here.
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Organized in March 2006, the HLN consists of 32 members, including representatives of the Pinellas County Government, the Pinellas County School District, the Juvenile Welfare Board, and several local municipalities including the cities of Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, St. Petersburg and Tarpon Springs, each of which have signed an Interlocal Agreement concerning their participation. The membership categories and numbers of members in each category, established by the HLN Bylaws, is as follows:
Elected Officials:
Pinellas County Commission: 2
Council of Mayors – 1
City of Clearwater: 2
City of Largo – 2
City of Pinellas Park – 1
City of St. Petersburg: 2
City of Tarpon Springs – 1
School Board of Pinellas County – 1
Community Leaders:
Juvenile Welfare Board – 1
Business Community – 2
Faith Based Community – 1
Behavioral Health Care Provider – 1
Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless – 2
Law Enforcement – 1
Consumers (homeless and formerly homeless) – 2
Health Care – 1
Corrections/County Jail – 1
WorkNet Pinellas – 1
Non-governmental Funder – 1
Veterans’ Administration – 1
At Large Seats – 2
Homeless/Formerly Homeless Consumer – 1
Housing Representatives:
Housing Authority – 1
Affordable Housing Developer – 1
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Bylaws of the Homeless Leadership Network - Approved 2006-09-06.pdf
HLN Agreement 2006-03-03.pdf
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President Bush has called upon communities throughout the nation to develop strategic plans to end chronic homelessness in ten years. This initiative has received bipartisan support and has been endorsed by both the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Counties. Special federal funding, through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Veterans Administration has and will continue to be made available to communities that have successfully implemented 10-year plans to end chronic homelessness. In addition, communities that presently receive HUD funding for homeless programs have been advised that HUD grants in future years will be determined, at least in part, by the efficacy and success of their 10-year plans.
On July 25, 2004 a meeting was held with representatives from Pinellas County, and the Cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater to discuss how to begin the process of developing a 10-year plan. Several points were discussed and are detailed in the following bullets:
The attendees agreed that a countywide 10-year plan would be the most effective way to address homelessness, and attendees sought and secured support from local governing bodies to proceed with a countywide strategic planning process. The attendees recognized that participation by elected officials from Pinellas County, the City of St. Petersburg, the City of Clearwater, the City of Largo and other municipalities would be necessary to the success of the planning process and adoption of the plan by each jurisdiction. The County has hired a consultant to study the issue of homelessness through a 10- month research process. Much of the research and deliverables that the consultant will be providing can be utilized and incorporated in the development of the 10-year plan. The result of the 10-month research process will identify areas for improvement in the delivery of homeless services, explore best practices, create a model for coordination through which federal dollars will be disbursed and which can identify and secure new funding sources. Creation of the HUD required 10-year plan will incorporate the outcomes and recommendations of the 10-month research process and identify implementation strategies.
Two years after what began as a discussion between Pinellas County and the City of St. Petersburg on the benefits of working on homelessness as a county-wide issue the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness in Pinellas County was completed. The Plan contains dozens of action steps organized into four major strategies, namely: oversight and evaluation, policy and funding, coordination and partnership and continuum of services. The Plan is designed to be implemented by the community as a whole, with roles for government, business, education, service providers, faith-based organizations and other community groups. No one group is expected to do it all.
The Homeless Leadership Network (HLN) was created from the Homeless Policy Group to oversee the implementation of the Ten-Year Plan's strategies, and to ensure accountability in and evaluation of the homeless services system in Pinellas County. On March 3, 2006, the local government entitities involved in the HLN signed an Interlocal Agreement concerning their participation.
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Officers
The Honorable Carlen Petersen (Chair)
City Council Member, City of Clearwater
The Honorable James Bennett (Vice-Chair, Elected Officials)
City council Chairman, City of St. Petersburg
Virginia Rowell (Vice-Chair, Community)
Community Activist
Sandra Lyth (Secretary; PCCH Representative)
Director, Hispanic Outreach Center
Members
Mrs. Catherine Alexander-Ponder
VASH Coordinator
Bay Pines VA Health Care System
Dr. Teresa Bradley
VP Medical Affairs
St. Anthony's Hospital
The Honorable Janet Clark
Board Member, District 1
Pinellas County School Board
The Honorable Harriet Crozier
Vice Mayor
City of Largo
Bob Dillinger, Public Defender
Member, Board of Directors
Juvenile Welfare Board
The Honorable John Doran
Council Member
City of Clearwater
Mr. Ronnie E. Duncan
Founder and President
The Duncan Companies, Inc.
The Honorable Patricia Gerard
Mayor
City of Largo
Mrs. Barbara Green
Executive Director
Homeless Emergency Project
Ms. Jackie Griffin-Doherty (PCCH Representative)
Vice President of Development
Operation PAR
Mr. Bill Griffiths
Community Relations Coordinator
WorkNet Pinellas
Captain Michael Haworth
Uniform Patrol
Pinellas Park Police Department
Mrs. Barbara Inman
Executive Director
Habitat for Humanity
Mr. Emery Ivery
VP of Community & Partnership Development
United Way of Tampa Bay
Mr. Gary MacMath
CEO
Boley Centers, Inc.
The Honorable Jerry Mullins
Member, PSTA Board of Directors
City Council Member, City of Pinellas Park
Mr. John Patrick
Representative
Clearwater Area Chamber of Commerce
The Honorable Herb Polson
City Council Member
City of St. Petersburg
Mr. Ross D. Preville
Representative, St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce
Vice President, Investments, Raymond James and Associates, Inc.
Mr. Gregory W. Rolle (Homeless/Formerly Homeless Representative)
Community Education Coordinator
Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless
Bob Rowan
Member, Board of Directors
Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.
The Honorable Robin Saenger
Vice-Mayor - City of Tarpon Springs
Mrs. Ramona Schaefer
Program Services Supervisor
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
The Honorable Kenneth Welch
County Commissioner
Pinellas County Board of Commissioners
Atty. Carl Brody (ex-officio)
Sr. Assistant County Attorney
Pinellas County Attorney's Office
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Sarah K. Snyder is the staff director for the Homeless Leadership Network, an organization of elected officials and other county leaders. The Leadership Network is charged with developing homeless services policies, securing additional financial and other resources for homeless services, and ensuring that the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness is implemented.
Ms. Snyder has long experience in the Pinellas County human services arena. She was the President/Executive Director of the Pinellas Private Industry Council (the predecessor to the current WorkNet Pinellas Board) for over 16 years. During her tenure the Council won numerous state, regional, and federal workforce development awards, including being named the first winner of the national Outstanding Private Industry Council Award by President Ronald Reagan. Ms. Snyder was also named the National Job Training Professional of the Year by the National Alliance of Business. Prior to that experience she administered a small juvenile delinquency project and a hospital-based on-the-job training program.
Following her service with the Pinellas Private Industry Council, Ms. Snyder consulted with local and state non-profit and governmental organizations across Florida and the nation for ten years. She specialized in the development and training of Boards of Directors, organizational development, staff training, and strategic planning.
Ms. Snyder has been a resident of Pinellas County for 35 years. She is also a quilter and textile artist. She has a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling and extensive post-graduate training in non-profit organizational design and development.
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