SARASOTA, Fla. — A new program to help prevent homelessness has been implemented in Sarasota County.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has entered a partnership with the nonprofit United Way to set up what they have called an ‘eviction intervention’ program.
The program is called the Supportive Housing Initiative and Eviction Lifeline and Diversion or S.H.I.E.L.D. It would support landlords and tenants facing an eviction crisis.
Last year, a Sarasota County deputy who had gone to serve an eviction notice at a highrise condominium, shot and killed a man who had threatened them with a knife.
According to leaders at the sheriff’s office, that shooting took an emotional toll on deputies and staff. Some had said they were limited and felt helpless in what they could do for the tenants despite feeling compassion for their predicament.
That April 2022 incident spotlighted the county’s eviction notification process.
In addition, the rate of post-pandemic eviction began to rise with many people expressing the stress of rising inflation and the cost of housing in the area. Last year deputies issued around 800 eviction notices – and this year, they’re at 400.
All of this led the sheriff’s office to create the new eviction intervention program which would allow deputies to do more than just enforce the law when issuing the eviction notice.
“Most of the evictions that we were going to, you know, there is a tenant still present, and we are hearing a lot of cases where they say, ‘I’ve got nowhere to go and I don’t know what to do,'” Capt. John Walsh with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said.
“The deputies themselves are having to listen to the stories. We want to do something, we understand these people are going to be homeless and there’s going to be a tool now,” Walsh added.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. program is aimed at mitigating the effects of residential evictions, which can result in a tenant’s homelessness. Many of the impacted tenants include vulnerable community members such as families with children, veterans and the elderly.
Many of whom, according to officials, have no alternative housing options and are dealing with various life-changing issues including those related to health concerns, job loss, financial drain or Hurricane Ian recovery.
“We are diverting that eviction and that particular family, senior, or individuals from becoming homeless,” Barbara Cruz with United Way Sarasota said.
Deputies also have a handy doorknob flier that lists resources for the tenant to find help.
“We can help with the first and last month’s rent and their security deposit. That’s one of the things that we can do to get them into a new place,” Cruz said.
It’s a race to keep folks out of the court system, which can make it harder to rent in the future. The program has helped around 25 individuals and families since it kicked off last month.
“We leave our business card with our cell phone, we text with people, and we now frequently have ongoing interactions, and with people that have other questions, we have other resources that we try to push out,” Walsh said.
To find out how you can get help with your emergency housing needs and prevent eviction, visit Sarasota County Sheriff's Office or United Way.