Is a Tampa Homeless Program Exploiting Residents, Or Providing Opportunities?

William Hobson, Staff Writer at the Tampa Bay Times, discusses his November 29 story, “Tampa homeless program uses unpaid, destitute residents as steady labor force, revenue source.” New Beginnings of Tampa, one of the city's largest homeless programs, sends crews of unpaid men to work concessions in sports arenas, as well as work in construction, landscaping, telemarketing, moving, painting, even grant-writing. The CEO of New Beginnings is applying  to run the county’s new homeless shelter, but there are questions about how much the program is charging the state, and charging the vulnerable men who live there and work without pay.