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Palm Bay is ‘first step’ in finding solution to homelessness | News | hometownnewsbrevard.com

I followed this man's journey into homelessness with great interest over 100 days or so back in 2014 on Facebook. He lived being homeless.

In 2014, he was voluntarily homeless for nearly 100 days as he embarked on a cross-country research project that was documented on Facebook.

“I have 23 years of experience as a naval officer, three degrees and I couldn’t get out of homelessness,” Mr. Rebman said.

Now, his mission is to educate the public on how “easily this can be solved.”

“Our system is broken and does not allow us to succeed,” Mr. Rebman said. “The secret is education and collaboration and affordable housing. It’s not all substance abuse like we think.”

Mr. Rebman’s mass education campaign started with Palm Bay and was met with a positive response from the city council.

“Palm Bay is the largest community in Brevard County with the least number of facilities for homeless people,” Mr. Rebman said. “For me, Palm Bay is the first step.”

Next, he’ll head to Cocoa and Titusville, and hopes to set up meetings with officials in each of Brevard County’s cities.

For Palm Bay, Mr. Redman proposed three action steps, including the opening of a cold-night shelter before the next cold season, identifying nonprofit and faith organizations in the area to assist with the effort, and consideration by the city to fund case managers like Orlando does.

“Your request is nothing out of the ordinary,” said Mayor William Capote.

And The Villages Daily Sun has done some very good articles on the people up in the Ocala Forest. The facts are often more complicated than people make them out to be.