Broward’s outreach: The many efforts to help the homeless at the airport and beyond

Broward County outreach teams are beefing up patrols at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to help deter the homeless from sleeping in public spaces.

An airport spokeswoman called the airport a “major economic engine and critical infrastructure.”

“It’s not a shelter. It’s a transportation hub. So what can we do to help those individuals seeking shelter?” asked Celina Saucedo, the assistant director of Aviation/Administration at Broward County Aviation Department.

The latest efforts were listed at Broward’s Homeless Continuum of Care Board on Wednesday, an advisory panel dedicated to making recommendations to the County Commission to help unhoused people, including getting them into programs and shelters. The current efforts include dispatching outreach teams to the airport, as well as to a downtown bus terminal, opening a “desperately needed” set of buildings to offer housing in Pompano Beach, and enlisting the help of hospitals and landlords.

Here’s a look at those efforts:

At the airport

The new outreach teams, known as the Airport Community Team (ACT), are increasing their efforts during off-hours when the homeless presence increases, especially near the baggage area at Terminal 1. Teams that include county staff and sheriff’s deputies roam the airport from 2 a.m. to 5 p.m., and now they’ll also start going late at night.

Broward County Mayor Nan Rich, who chairs the committee, said it’s an example of “meeting the homeless where they are, that’s why we’re going to the airport.”

The “concerns” are after the last flights have come, said Rebecca McGuire, Broward County Housing Strategy and Innovation Officer.

That’s when more homeless flock to the airport to settle in. She said the county has recorded 573 people at the airport since March 1, 2022, through today, including people who became homeless by happenstance, arriving on a plane “thinking they would have a better life” and winding up stranded when nobody came to pick them up.

138 units to help in Pompano

Plans for two buildings, at eight-stories each, are expected to be submitted to the county this winter to be constructed in Pompano Beach, next to an existing shelter.

The estimated 138 units will be dedicated to affordable housing and housing for homeless making the transition.

“It’s so desperately needed,” Rich said.

A bus terminal

The county would be making more sweeps, including at its downtown Fort Lauderdale bus terminal off Broward Boulevard, with outreach teams to find homeless, and try to convince them to enter shelters, and provide them with information to get medical care, bus passes, showers, and substance abuse services.

“You can’t do one and done,” McGuire said about going back to the Fort Lauderdale station, where outreach teams had targeted earlier this year.

There will be a focus on the homeless population next in Lauderhill bus terminal, she said.

Helping patients

Broward Health would be beefing up services to arrange help for the homeless being discharged from its hospitals, especially seniors where the average age is 60. Rich called it “wrap-around services,” and said it would be “expanded and improved … so we’re looking for bigger and better things.”

Examples of clients who could be discharged and wind up back on the street are undocumented people, and wheelchair users with no place to go and family unwilling or unable to help. The patients who accept the help are sent to multiple agencies and services for placement including HomesUnited and area nursing homes.

Working with landlords

Project Home Again is the county’s program where now 300 landlords provide about 2,000 units for rent and the county helps pick up the tab, among other funding sources, McGuire said.

“We’re getting them started,” Rich said. “We’re not paying forever. We pay first and last” month rent and the security deposit. She said the county expects more landlords to join the program. Eight of the landlords pledged to make clients referred by the county a priority, McGuire said.

Lisa J. Huriash can be reached at lhuriash@sunsentinel.com. Follow on X, formerly Twitter @LisaHuriash