DELAND, Fla. — DeLand city officials are taking action to address the recent increase in the local homeless population.
According to the Neighborhood Center of West Volusia, between 2022 and 2023, the city saw a 17% increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness.
On Feb. 19, the DeLand City Commission passed a set of ordinances prohibiting camping on public property, leaving belongings on public property for more than 24 hours and sleeping on benches and sidewalks.
Related story: DeLand city leaders approve set of ordinances that would impact homeless population, prohibit camping on public property
City leaders said they hoped the measures would prompt homeless people to use the services available to them at places like The Bridge Shelter.
“A lot of the issues that the homeless individuals are facing right now have a lot to do with mental health," said Bridge Shelter director of community Erica Rainey. "And though it seems easy to just go into a shelter and to stabilize and to get a job, it does not come naturally to some, and in fact, is really hard work to follow what we take for granted."
Walking down the street of South Palmetto Avenue in DeLand is a path that Gloria Giordano knows all too well.
“Yes, quite a lot, actually," she said of the walkway. "I was homeless about a month and three weeks ago, and this is where I used to come every day, the picnic tables, 6 or 7 in the morning."
Every morning, she would come to The Bridge at the Neighborhood Center of West Volusia — a daily shelter for people experiencing homelessness where they can get meals, clothing, access to free laundry facilities, showers and lockers.
“And I had locker number 13," Giordano said. "I don’t know if you want to go that lucky."
In locker 13, she kept the things she didn’t want to carry around downtown.
“And I would sleep downtown various places where I knew it was safe to be at that time, and then come back here in the morning, put everything right here in the locker, and I would spend my days here because there really wasn’t really anywhere else to go,” Giordano said.
Not having anywhere else to go is a reality for many in DeLand. According to The Neighborhood Center, there are about 400 people experiencing homelessness in the city. Giordano said not being able to find affordable housing was what lead her to become homeless.
“It was housing," she said. "I’m 63 — it wasn’t easy being out there and the whole housing thing. I tried, I mean I went to the library, I got online, I put in applications. I kept checking back on those apps and it just it was it wasn’t working. I wasn’t getting anywhere with it."
Her luck did not stop at the number of her locker. She decided to apply for housing working with a counselor at The Bridge. Within 30 days, she got into permanent housing, and moved into a house owned by The Bridge. She shares common areas with other people, but upstairs she has her own room with a bathroom.
“It’s not much, but it’s mine,” Giordano said.
The Bridge offers 64 Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) beds to provide long-term, affordable housing and support services to people with disabilities or other special needs who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
The services are designed to build independent living and tenancy skills and connect people with community-based health care, treatment, and employment services. PSH is considered a Housing First principle, meaning there are no preconditions — sobriety and enrollment in mental health services, for example — for program participants to access housing.
According to Rainey, Giordano can stay as long as she wants. Ideally, she said the timeframe for residency is five years before residents, hopefully, move into something more independent.
Any individuals going into their permanent housing program have to meet income guidelines. They have to make within the 50% AMI standard, which is about $25,000 per year. The rent amount is established by calculating 30% of their yearly income, so it varies from person to person.
It’s been six weeks since Giordano moved in, and she says she is still in disbelief at how much her life has changed.
“Oh my gosh, I never thought I would be here.," she said. "I mean, this is just amazing, and like I said, I owe it to The Bridge."
The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia, located at 434 S. Woodland Blvd. in DeLand, is available to help anyone dealing with homelessness. Anyone needing help or more information can reach the organization from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, by calling 386-734-8120 Ext. 7.
More information can also be found on the Neighborhood Center's website.