The Keys Overnight Temporary Shelter for homeless people may have to be renamed once it’s rebuilt with $4.3M in federal funds approved for that use this week by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
When KOTS first opened in 2004 and until the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020, the shelter was only open in the evenings. Users would check in around 6 p.m. nightly and had to leave the shelter around 7 a.m.
Since COVID, the shelter has been operating 24 hours a day rather than just overnight. County Commissioner Craig Cates noted that has led to a decrease in homeless people and panhandling in downtown Key West.
Key West city commissioner Sam Kaufman, who has long been an advocate for KOTS and the homeless, applauded the state funding announcement, telling the Keys Weekly, “The amount is close to the amount budgeted, but I’m not sure about final numbers.”
The new KOTS is in the design phase and will be rebuilt as a permanent structure on land provided to the city on College Road by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, in exchange for land in Key West, where the sheriff plans to build employee housing.
When built, the new shelter will continue to operate 24 hours a day. But during construction, city and county officials are discussing preliminary plans to house the homeless at the vacant Bayshore Manor, a former assisted-living facility, just down the street on College Road. Those plans have not yet been approved by either the city or county commission and remain in the discussion stages.
The funding for the new KOTS is included in $22 million for 15 Florida communities that the governor approved for broadband, infrastructure and workforce development programs in Florida communities.
Administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the funds are federal dollars from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that are designed to help local governments prepare for, prevent or respond to the health and economic impacts of the pandemic, a press release from the governor’s office states.
“Awarded projects must be critical to the locality and primarily benefit low- and moderate-income residents. Local governments are encouraged to include activities that benefit workforce housing, training and sustainability, as well as broadband infrastructure and planning,” it states.
“These awards will support projects including expanding broadband internet services, improvements to community centers, and small business grants,” the release says.
DeSantis “has a strong vision for Florida’s economy, and thanks to his leadership, we have made economic resiliency a priority in Florida,” said Florida DEO Secretary Dane Eagle in the release. “This funding will help meet communities’ needs as they continue to grow stronger and prepare for future crises.”
