VIDEO: By engaging with the community, the City of West Palm Beach and our partners are assisting those experiencing homelessness. Click here!

 WEST PALM BEACH, FLA (March 9, 2021) – Through its Housing and Community Development Department (HCD), the City of West Palm Beach works to enhance the quality of life for its residents through the development of housing, social and economic opportunities. Under the direction of the department’s full-time Homeless Services Coordinator Marcus Laws, HCD provides daily on-street engagement and interventions to those experiencing homelessness in conjunction with staff from the Vickers House, Mental Health America, and Gulfstream Goodwill.

In February 2021, to assist those experiencing homelessness, the city and its partners helped:

• 22 individuals with referrals and access to mental health and substance abuse resources.
• 16 chronically homeless individuals find housing through partnerships with the County’s coordinated entry system, Gulfstream Goodwill and Vickers House.
• 2 chronically homeless individuals through the City’s Homeward Bound Program.

Additionally, the city responded to 15 requests for assistance submitted through the City’s online Homeless Activity Reporter. The city also facilitated 11 engagements with local businesses and community groups to provide education and resources.

HCD meets weekly with established partners including St. Ann Place, Gulfstream Goodwill, PSC Security, CJE Security, West Palm Beach Parks & Recreation Department, and the West Palm Beach Division of Sanitation.

The Homeless Activity Reporter, a web-based application, is one way the public can report when non-emergency city assistance or community resources are needed for someone experiencing homelessness. To make a report, please visit: wpb.org/har.

If you would like to speak with someone regarding an ongoing homelessness concern, contact Marcus Laws, Homeless Services Coordinator, at (561) 517-3328 (TTY: 800-955-8771).