close
close

Maisonceres

Trusted News & Timely Insights

    • Florida’s homeless law prohibits homeless people from sleeping on public property
    Iowa

    Florida’s homeless law prohibits homeless people from sleeping on public property

    Eira Gwyneth Posted on

    Florida’s homeless law is now in effect. On Tuesday, sleeping and camping on public lands was banned in the state and campgrounds must be set up to accommodate the homeless community.

    Bill 1365, formerly House Bill (HB) 1365, will make it illegal for people struggling with homelessness to sleep outside on public property.

    “HB 1365 prohibits counties and municipalities from authorizing or permitting individuals to regularly sleep or camp on public property, in public buildings or their grounds, or on public rights-of-way within their jurisdiction,” said county Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. in a memorandum sent to the Board of County Commissioners in September.

    Starting Jan. 1, 2025, cities or towns that fail to comply with this deadline within five days of a written complaint “could face legal action from any resident or business owner within their jurisdiction or from the Florida Attorney General,” it says Memorandum.

    Campgrounds provided by municipalities must be approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families and include security, behavioral health services and bathrooms with running water.

    Homelessness crisis: I lived in a homeless camp for a week. I’ve seen that Housing First doesn’t work.

    Florida cities respond to new homelessness law

    Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves announced he plans to use $1 million in unencumbered American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase small, semi-permanent shelters, according to the Pensacola News Journal.

    “Arresting us to get out of homelessness is not going to solve our problem,” Reeves said. “Getting the additional unit release valve to come online much quicker than a long process is the real reason I moved away from the low barrier shelter we were talking about.”

    Reeves was previously interested in using the funds to start a low-barrier homeless shelter, but that idea was taken off the table earlier this year when a report from Jon DeCarmine, executive director of GRACE Marketplace in Gainesville, showed startup costs would be between $2.19 and $3.47 million.

    Shelters are being constructed throughout the community to increase available housing and keep people off the streets.

    Meanwhile, an agency in Miami-Dade County doesn’t believe in the new Statutes will help reduce homelessness.

    “We oppose sanctioned encampments and believe there is no evidence that they reduce homelessness,” Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, said in a statement. “We are committed to investing in solutions that deliver long-term results and attracting new partners because we firmly believe we can end homelessness in Miami-Dade.”

    Last year, the cities of Miami, Miami Beach and Miami-Dade County saw a 2% increase in homelessness since 2023, according to an annual census by the trust.

    It will conduct the census again in January, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

    USA TODAY has reached out to Miami-Dade County and the city of Tampa about the new law but has not yet heard back.

    Julia is a trends reporter for USA TODAY. You can connect with her LinkedInkeep following her X, formerly Twitter, Instagram And TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected].

    Tagged:

    LEAVE A RESPONSE

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Eira Gwyneth
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like

    ads