New Florida law prohibits homeless individuals from sleeping in public outdoor areas starting today | Politics

A brand new Florida law prohibiting homeless individuals from sleeping exterior went into impact on Tuesday.

House Bill 1365 prohibits tenting on streets, sidewalks and in parks. Local governments are required to supply short-term housing, the place individuals will probably be prohibited from utilizing medicine. They may also be provided substance abuse and psychological well being therapy.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, mentioned the law was “absolutely the right balance to strike,” including: “We want to make sure we put public safety above all else.”

People may also have the ability to sue counties that don't cease public sleeping. But the law features a three-month grace interval earlier than individuals can begin suing county governments for individuals sleeping in public.

NEWSOM VETOES BIPARTISAN ACCOUNTABILITY LEGISLATION AIMED AT STATE SPENDING ON HOMELESSNESS CRISIS

A brand new Florida law prohibiting homeless individuals from sleeping exterior went into impact on Tuesday. (Getty Images)

The public sleeping ban, nonetheless, took impact on Tuesday. Florida estimates it has about 31,000 homeless individuals.

“To be camping out in public as we are because we can't find a place to live because the money he makes in his job is not enough for us anymore,” Mildred Forti advised CBS News Miami. “This is another stupid law. We will start moving again and looking for a new place.”

Forti mentioned she and her husband have been homeless in Miami for a number of months.

Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, advised CBS News Miami, “We are working feverishly to create more opportunities for shelter and housing.”

House Bill 1365 prohibits tenting on streets, sidewalks and in parks. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency through Getty Images)

“We are looking at setting up a navigation center, which is a step below, if you will, what a normal shelter is,” he mentioned. “We hope to have it operational by the end of the year.”

Book additionally mentioned his group plans to maneuver greater than 140 individuals into rental models on the La Quinta Hotel earlier than Dec. 31, 2024, referring to plans to transform the La Quinta Hotel in Cutler Bay into housing for low-income seniors.

“We are building an 8-unit building in Overtown and 190 single-occupancy units for men near Krome,” Book mentioned. “We've also identified 80 additional beds for another shelter in the next 30 days.”

BLUE STATE COUNTY BUCKS TRENDS ON HANDOUTS – AND HOMELESS POPULATION CRATERS

Florida estimates it has about 31,000 homeless individuals. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu through Getty Images)

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Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony mentioned in a social media put up that “Homelessness is not a crime.”

Under the brand new law, native governments can provide county-owned land for individuals to sleep on so long as they hold it clear and freed from crime, and so long as the individuals staying there are supplied entry to showers and psychological well being providers.

For approval, the county should show there should not sufficient beds in homeless shelters to maintain up with the native homeless inhabitants and that the camp wouldn't harm the property worth or security and safety of different properties or companies in the county.