To meet the needs of returning citizens in Palm Beach County, The Reentry Center, a non-traditional and comprehensive municipal reentry program, was developed as a collaborative reentry initiative between the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission and the City of Riviera Beach in 2007.  The Reentry Center (TRC) provides holistic, coordinated, and comprehensive case management and support services to adult men and women who are released from Florida Department of Corrections, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Palm Beach County Jail and returning to northern Palm Beach County as residents. 

To date, The Reentry Center has served more than 1500 clients and currently serves approximately 125 clients annually with the goal of recidivism reduction by 50% over a 5-year period for the target population.   The Reentry Center delivers a set of targeted,  evidence-based, pre- and post-release reentry services that incorporate the following components: non-traditional case management, supportive transitional housing, substance abuse and mental health counseling, family reunification, voter rights advocacy, cognitive behavioral interventions, and peer mentoring, access to job readiness training and employment assessment services, on-the-job training (OJT) in the construction industry, and assistance with securing long-term employment through educational and vocational career pathways.

After collecting employment data of TRC clients, the biggest hurdle encountered by clients is overcoming the employment gap due to incarceration.  Because the world is a completely different place for returning citizens post prison, entering the job market poses several challenges: lack of a professional network, obsolete skills, current economic conditions, and lack of professional references.

Despite the current economic conditions, initial research efforts identified the construction industry as having the lowest barriers for entry and fastest matriculation process.  In essence, clients have the highest probability for success by being taught a construction trade than any other vocational training.  The construction industry is unique in the fact that most tradesmen start at a zero-skill entry-level and through exposure in the field, accumulate the knowledge for advancement.  Subsequently, TRC has developed and implemented a unique Job Training Program (OJT) to connect returning citizens and the construction industry.  The core of the curriculum is designed to expose returning citizens to various tasks associated with the most common trades in the construction industry; carpentry, masonry, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, drywall, and landscaping.  The program functions in two parts-- guided field work and guided independent research.   OJT trainees receive case management services, support services and cognitive behavioral interventions and a weekly stipend to ensure commitment throughout the course of the project.  This initiative represents the future of sustaining public private partnerships in reentry. 

We have taken this OJT Program by contracting with Urban Farmers, Inc., a Hallandale Beach based- for profit firm that has been providing project management and training services with TRC for almost ten years.  Urban Farmers, Inc., is headed by Terry Booty, its President. 

In early 2019, then City Manager, Karen Hoskins connected TRC with the Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation (CDC) to explore potential partnership in housing rehabilitation.  CDC has created the Neighborhood RECLAIM Program:   R – Revitalized, E- Energy Efficient, C – Community-Oriented, L – Livable and Sustainable, A – Attractive and Desirable, I – Innovative, M – Maximized Opportunity.   Neighborhood RECLAIM serves as an umbrella initiative to restore vacant and derelict properties through rehabilitation, new construction, beautification, and restoration activities.  Other partners are the Riviera Beach CRA, Solid Waste/Rebuilding Together, and other local contractors.

The Opportunity:

Throughout our neighborhoods we have many vacant lots and boarded buildings.  We also have many properties with delayed maintenance, especially if owned by senior citizens.  The Reentry Center is an excellent pathway to restoring some of these properties.   Riviera Beach Heights, Inlet City, and major portions of Park Manor-- priority focus areas-- are distressed low income neighborhoods located within the Community Redevelopment Area.  Due to the economic downturn and the real estate crisis of the last decade, these neighborhoods have experienced disinvestment and high levels of foreclosures which have led to a significant number of abandoned and derelict properties throughout the neighborhoods.  With the onset of COVID-19 impacts, we are bracing for another downturn in the market amidst high unemployment and small business closures.  There are several other similarly situated neighborhoods in the city-Federal Gardens, National Village, and Monroe Heights.   Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between economic and community development, improved perceptions and realities of crime, better education outcomes, and improvements in civic pride.  Riviera Beach has a 65%-70% rental rate—a trend we must reverse.  For instance, in Riviera Beach Heights, of almost 500 properties, about 200 are vacant or derelict.

Over the years, TRC has rehabbed approximately ___ such properties in Riviera Beach and the Glades area.  CDC owns several sites around the City.  The CRA also has a beautification program for exterior rehabilitation and partners with the CDC on a paint and sod program.

For the past thirteen (13) months, Urban Farmers and TRC citizens has been rehabbing a house at 950 W. 1^st that is owned by CDC.  The transformation is almost complete.  This project included new plumbing, new electric, HVAC, two new bathrooms, a new kitchen, and a new garage.  Much of the work was done by participants.  Of course, licensed subs did the skilled work, with participants looking over their shoulders.  Once completed, this home is made available for purchase by a first-time home buyer in the Riviera Beach Homebuyers Club.  The home is energy efficient has many upgrades and design features.  The participants have also added curb appeal to a dozen homes with paint and sod, with the cost covered by CDC. 

With this experience as a model, our partnership can realize a triple bottom line—impacts to our built environment, improvements in the quality of life for our people, and measurable economic development. 

We propose to undertake the following for FY2020-2021:

-Neighborhood Beautification – Sod and Paint Program, including Rain Barrels where Possible – 40 Homes

-exterior Rehabs/Roofs – 2 Homes

-Full Scope Rehabs/New Construction – 2 Homes + 2 Demolitions

Major Partner Roles:

The Reentry Program will provide program management for returning citizens for training, soft skills development, and a social network.  TRC will also identify post program work opportunities.

Urban Farmers, Inc., and other local contractors are socially-minded contractors who provide OJT while improving properties through major and minor rehabilitation, beautification, and painting projects.