News & Public Affairs
Some low income families being forced onto the streets of Charlotte ahead of Democratic National Convention listen
08/31/12 Lisa MarzilliLast Call Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Deronda Metz, Charlotte, N.C., Salvation Army, Democratic National Convention, homeless
As Democrats gather in Charlotte, N.C. for their national party convention, an Op-Ed in the Charlotte Observer voiced concern over the fact that many low-income families in that city are being displaced from relatively affordable “extended stay” motels that have jacked up their rates to as high as $300 a night ahead in an effort to cash in on the DNC that begins on Tuesday. According to the Observer:
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Romneyville campers may struggle with finding a place to sleep after Republican convention listen
08/30/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Romneyville, RNC, Republican National Convention, poverty, homeless, homelessness
The Romneyville camp in downtown Tampa was set up as a place for both protesters and people without homes to sleep during the Republican National Convention. Now that the event is drawing to a close people are going to have to start finding other places to go.
Shortly after all of the delegates and journalists leave Tampa, Romneyville residents will have to pack up their tents and go somewhere else. The Poor People’s Economic and Human Rights Campaign leased the property where they’re st...
Be the first to commentTampa Police give leftover Republican convention lunches to Romneyville homeless camp listen
08/30/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Romneyville, RNC, Republican National Convention, homeless, Tampa police, poverty
Police presence around the Romneyville camp has been tight this week, but today they showed up not for security, but to hand out food. Hundreds of left over boxed lunches were given to people sleeping in tents in downtown Tampa.
Inside the white boxes were massive sandwiches, chips and fresh fruit. Most of the people staying at Romneyville don’t have homes and often wonder where their next meal will come from. The camp had a bus that s...
2 commentsFood Not Bombs World Gathering feeds the hungry in Tampa before the Republican convention listen
08/20/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Food Not Bombs, Occupy Tampa, homeless, hungry, Republican National Convention, RNC
An activist group fed 20 members of the Tampa community oatmeal and fruit this morning. Food Not Bombs is partnering with members of Occupy Tampa at their Voice of Freedom Park encampment where to feed the hungry this week. Elizabeth Toms, a member of Occupy Tampa, said the turn out has been good so far, but she hopes it will get better as the week goes on.
4 comments“Some were like, extremely grateful. Like, oh I’m not hungry, but I’ll definitely go get some coffee. There’s a couple kids comin...
Hillsborough coalition has ten-year goal to eliminate and prevent homelessness listen
07/30/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County, homeless, poverty
The Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County has come up with a ten year plan to address the problem after a week-long discussion with members of the community. It’s a comprehensive list of changes to how services are provided that streamline the system. Edi Erb, interim CEO for the coalition, said the changes will help more people get the help they need.
Be the first to comment“And wrap around them with services that they need, not that somebody goes into a program and hears the services of that program and...
Romneyville campers might get kicked out before Republican convention listen
07/27/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: RNC, Romneyville, homeless, Republican National Convention
Activists camping in tents on the property of a private business in downtown Tampa may be forced to leave. On the conflict at the Romneyville encampment set up to protest the Republican National Convention next month.
The camp was set up in May with permission from the owner of downtown’s Army/Navy surplus store, Nick Potamitis. Activists signed a four-month contract and paid him $1500 dollars in advance for rent until early September. But [Tampa code enforcement](http://www.tampagov.net...
Be the first to commentHillsborough community developing 10-year plan to prevent and end homelessness listen
07/27/12 Lisa KauffmanWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Occupy Tampa, Homeless, homelessness
This week the Homeless Coalition and the Corporation for Supportive Housing hosted a gathering of nonprofits and community members. Heather Lyons, the senior program manager with Supportive Housing, said there are options for businesses that want to hire people without homes.
Be the first to comment“We heard that there are some tax credits and incentives that are out there. One of the things that we might, that we heard, like, say if you get a thousand dollar...
Tampa's Romneyville is the new Hooverville for Republican Convention listen
07/18/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Romneyville, Hooverville, Occupy Tampa, RNC, Republican National Convention, homeless, poverty
Another activist encampment has popped up in Tampa ahead of next month’s Republican National Convention. Supporters of the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign are slowly setting up a camp they’re calling Romneyville. Bruce Wright is leading the effort to make the area accessible to protesters and safe for people seeking refuge.
1 comments“A lot of the homeless community and poor people are going to be displaced and persecuted anyway during this time frame and so this is also a safe have...
Governor Rick Scott signs a bill at a public forum on youth homelessness – and is called out by an angry protester listen
06/13/12 Liz McKibbonWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: homeless, homeless youth, Governor Rick Scott, Becky Rubright, Rich Glorioso, Lazydays Center for Youth Development
In downtown Tampa this morning Governor Rick Scott signed a bill to help homeless youth during a related public forum. Scott was greeted by a protester who accused the governor of being hypocritical.
For a variety of reasons, children under the age of 18 sometimes end up on their own, without a parent or guardian. But a new law signed today by Governor Rick Scott could help them by...
1 commentsTampa to give $500,000 for homeless shelter listen
06/07/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: homeless, Metropolitan Ministries, Tampa City Council
Tampa City Council today approved a half a million dollar grant to Metropolitan Ministries to expand their housing shelter on North Florida Avenue. The project is expected to soar around 13 million dollars. Brian Evjen is a senior director for the organization. He said even though the city’s contribution only accounts for a small percent of the overall cost, it still represents a huge commitment.
The Tampa Bay area is home to one of the densest homeless populations in the country...
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