Michael Sturrup parks his car in front of an apartment complex just north of the Dorsey Riverbend neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale. He’s checking in on one of his clients, Donolyn Williams, a disabled 63-year-old woman who had been homeless for about three years.
Her new apartment has a ramp for her walker — one Sturrup got installed. He hands her three Publix gift cards for groceries and other household items she’ll need for her new home — a shower curtain and broom are among her top priorities.
Sturrup is one of two “housing navigators” in Broward County’s Housing Options, Solutions, and Support Division. His job is to help people like Williams to find a place to live.
His clients face huge obstacles because Broward ranks as one of the most expensive rental markets in the country.
Discrimination, resistant landlords, and an extreme shortage of affordable housing make it even harder to secure a home, especially for the county’s estimated 2,000 homeless individuals, according to Sturrup.
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