Fort Walton Beach Resolution — 2025-13 Resolution Adopting the FY 2025-30 CDBG Consolidated Plan & FY 2025-26 Annual Action Plan — reading text

FORT WALTON BEACH 32 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 09/30/2021)  DRAFT Section 504 Needs Assessment: Describe the needs of public housing tenants and applicants on the waiting list for accessible units: According to the waiting lists in the city of Fort Walton Beach area, there is a need for accessible units, accessible features, and prioritized transfer process. Most immediate needs of residents of Public Housing and Housing Choice voucher holders The most immediate needs of the residents of Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher holders include affordable, safe, and suitable housing conditions. How do these needs compare to the housing needs of the population at large Comparison between needs of the residents of Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher holders and the population at large are very similar including affordability, housing shortage, and housing market challenges. Discussion FWBHA recently renovated the complex's common areas to be handicap accessible and making 5% of the units' handicap accessible. Consolidated Plan FORT WALTON BEACH 33 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 09/30/2021)  NA-40 Homeless Needs Assessment – 91.205(c) Introduction: Homelessness & Housing Alliance (HHA) serves as the Lead Agency for the Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care. HHA serves as the applicant for federal and state homeless assistance funding. HHA administers the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for the jurisdiction. All agencies receiving homeless assistance funds from HUD and the state of Florida are required to utilize the database. HHA also coordinates the Annual Point in Time Count. Multiple organizations participate in this annual event and teams survey sheltered and unsheltered persons in this jurisdiction. The application used during the Point in Time Count provides the geographic location where the survey was taken. HHA also collects data through the coordinated entry system. The coordinated entry system provides data collected through a standardized assessment process using the Vulnerability Index Service Prioritization Assistant Tool ( VISPDAT). The coordinated entry system data that is entered into the Homeless Management Information System allows the CoC to report how many persons are homeless for the first time, how many permanent housing exits, and the length of time homeless. Homeless Needs Assessment Population Estimate the # of Estimate the Estimate Estimate the Estimate the persons experiencing the # exiting of days homelessness on a experiencing becoming homelessness persons given night homelessness homeless each year experience each year each year homelessness Sheltered Unsheltered Persons in Households with Adult(s) and Child(ren) 94 218 300 250 75 100 Persons in Households with Only Children 1 1 3 4 3 90 Persons in Households with Only Adults 78 211 60 70 65 100 Chronically Homeless Individuals 26 58 80 50 70 100 Consolidated Plan FORT WALTON BEACH 34 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 09/30/2021)  Population Estimate the # of Estimate the Estimate Estimate the Estimate the persons experiencing the # exiting of days homelessness on a experiencing becoming homelessness persons given night homelessness homeless each year experience each year each year homelessness Sheltered Unsheltered Chronically Homeless Families 1 3 10 15 5 100 Veterans 15 14 30 25 10 90 Unaccompanied Child 8 10 20 25 10 100 Persons with HIV 0 0 0 0 0 0 Table 26 - Homeless Needs Assessment Data Source Comments: Indicate if the homeless Partially Rural Homeless population is: Rural Homeless Needs Assessment Population Estimate the # of Estimate the Estimate Estimate the Estimate the persons experiencing the # exiting of days homelessness on a experiencing becoming homelessness persons given night homelessness homeless each year experience each year each year homelessness Sheltered Unsheltered Persons in Households with Adult(s) and Child(ren) 0 0 0 0 0 0 Persons in Households with Only Children 0 0 0 0 0 0 Persons in Households with Only Adults 0 0 0 0 0 0 Consolidated Plan FORT WALTON BEACH 35 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 09/30/2021)  Population Estimate the # of Estimate the Estimate Estimate the Estimate the persons experiencing the # exiting of days homelessness on a experiencing becoming homelessness persons given night homelessness homeless each year experience each year each year homelessness Sheltered Unsheltered Chronically Homeless Individuals 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chronically Homeless Families 0 0 0 0 0 0 Veterans 0 0 0 0 0 0 Unaccompanied Youth 0 0 0 0 0 0 Persons with HIV 0 0 0 0 0 0 Table 27 - Homeless Needs Assessment Data Source Comments: For persons in rural areas who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, describe the nature and extent of unsheltered and sheltered homelessness with the jurisdiction: Prevalence: The majority of people experiencing homelessness in Okaloosa and Walton County are unsheltered individuals. This means they are not residing in shelters but in places like vehicles, abandoned buildings, farms, or even wilderness areas. Challenges: Serving the rural homeless population presents unique barriers, including a significant lack of affordable housing options and limited transportation methods. Demographics: While men constitute the majority of the homeless population in this area, a disproportionately high number of women experience unsheltered homelessness within family units or as unaccompanied youth. Specific Circumstances: Unsheltered homelessness takes various forms in rural settings, including individuals living in vehicles, abandoned buildings, or even farm and wilderness areas. If data is not available for the categories "number of persons becoming and exiting homelessness each year," and "number of days that persons experience homelessness," Consolidated Plan FORT WALTON BEACH 36 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 09/30/2021)  describe these categories for each homeless population type (including chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their families, and unaccompanied youth): Family homelessness decreased by 13% compared to 2023, with 70 people experiencing homelessness in families in 2024, compared to 81 in 2023. Veteran homelessness and the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness increased. Veteran homelessness increased by 20% and chronic homelessness by more than 30%. During the Annual Point in Time Count completed on January 24, 2024, 326 persons were counted in Okaloosa and Walton Counties. 228 unsheltered and 98 sheltered. 75 of those were in the Fort Walton Beach. Nature and Extent of Homelessness: (Optional) Race: Sheltered: Unsheltered (optional) White 86 170 Black or African American 42 49 Asian 2 1 American Indian or Alaska Native 1 12 Pacific Islander 0 0 Ethnicity: Sheltered: Unsheltered (optional) Hispanic 91 243 Not Hispanic 5 12 Data Source Comments: Estimate the number and type of families in need of housing assistance for families with children and the families of veterans. HHA and the CoC has multiple programs for families in need of housing assistance and families of veterans. We estimate that 50 families with minor children in the household will become homeless and 35 will exit homelessness with housing stabilization programs and supportive housing interventions. 75 households with minor children will need homeless prevention services in order to remain stably housed. 8 of these households will be veteran families. 6 veteran households will become homeless and all 6 will exit homelessness. According to the data collected the majority (68%) of