Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that prohibits homeless people from sleeping or camping on public properties such as sidewalks and parks, and provides increased funding for homeless services.
The bill, called “Unauthorized Public Camping and Public Sleeping,” legally bars counties and municipalities from allowing people to camp or sleep on public property “without certification.” It also permits counties to designate public property for such use for limited periods of time, and authorizes the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) to inspect public properties and issue notices to campers and sleepers.
It also allows the DCF to create temporary designated areas for homeless campers for up to a year if homeless shelters become full. Sanitation services and security guards will be present at the areas, and all drug and alcohol use will be prohibited.
“Today I’m signing HB 1365. It will help maintain and ensure that Florida streets are clean and that Florida streets are safe for our residents,” DeSantis explained at the signing. “This legislation prohibits camping on city streets, sidewalks, and parks. It creates state enforcement tools to ensure that local governments comply with this law, and it ensures that localities utilize the resources of homeless shelters to provide individuals with the safety and services that they need.”
“And there are needs that need to be met,” DeSantis clarified. “But doing the San Francisco and New York model is not a way to get the job done.”
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“These homeless camps overwhelm the quality of life,” DeSantis said at the presser, describing the bill as a way to protect law-abiding residents and retired seniors. “Too often, [with] people in other states and other cities that are not doing well, it’s like they let the inmates run the asylum. That doesn’t work,” he emphasized.
Similar laws are already in effect in places like Miami Beach, which attract large crowds. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner spoke at the conference as well. Both DeSantis and Meiner characterized the laws as “tough but compassionate.”
“Public spaces are for the public. Criminal activity or drug use openly on the street is not acceptable here in Miami beach and evidently not in the state of Florida as well,” Meiner said. “[The bill] is increasing funding for shelters, it’s increasing funding for mental health treatment, it’s increasing funding for substance abuse treatment. This will absolutely help people.”
The bill will take effect on October 1st, 2024. As of 2023, the homeless population of the state was estimated to be around 30,700. “This bill will not eliminate homelessness. But it is a start,” said Republican state Rep. Sam Garrison. “And it states clearly that in Florida, our public spaces are worth fighting for.”
Shane Devine is a writer covering politics, economics, and culture for Valuetainment. Follow Shane on X (Twitter).
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