New County Shelter by the Numbers

The annual cost to run the new Pinellas County Safe Harbor will top $1.84 million, with more than half the funds from federal grants.

The rest of the costs may be covered by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, city of St. Petersburg and other municipal partners.

The shelter is slated to open Jan. 1, 2011, to provide much-needed shelter space for homeless adults. St. Petersburg officials already have pledged one full-time police officer to work at the shelter, and the City Council is expected to vote on an unspecified amount of funding.

The city has a keen interest in the 500-bed facility, since it accounts for up to 50 percent of the county's homeless population. When Pinellas Safe Harbor opens, it will be the largest homeless shelter in the Tampa Bay region.

On Friday, the Pinellas Coalition for the Homeless as well as officials from several cities in Pinellas County heard the proposed budget to run the facility, which was presented by the county Sheriff's Office. The next step for budget is to go before the county commission for approval.

The annual costs cover:

• $210,000 for utilities, including water, sewer, natural gas;
• $310,000 for food and beverages;
• $220,000 for 24-hour-a-day security with five guards;
• $727,408 for personnel, including nine case managers, re-entry coordinator, detective, criminal justice specialist and administrator;
• $120,000 for three counselors;
• $245,010 for support services that include workplace readiness, psychological services, housing stipends, detox programs;
• $1,000 for literacy services