Homeless people in Florida banned from sleeping in public places under newly-signed bill

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (WPEC) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law Wednesday banning homeless people from sleeping in public spaces.

Once effective, the bill will require counties to relocate people experiencing homelessness into special camps and provide them certain resources. It also allows members of the public to sue local governments for failing to move people off the streets.

DeSantis signed HB 1365, also dubbed the Unauthorized Public Camping and Public Sleeping bill, at a Miami Beach news conference beside the city's mayor and Florida House Speaker Paul Renner.

Florida will not allow homeless encampments to intrude on its citizens or undermine their quality of life like we see in states like New York and California,” DeSantis said. “The legislation I signed today upholds our commitment to law and order while also ensuring homeless individuals have the resources they need to get back on their feet.”

The bill will compel counties that don't have space in homelessness shelters to designate a section of public property for their encampment.

According to the law, the designated camps must remain at a distance from residential properties, including residential buildings planned for construction. Once set up, the camp couldn't negatively affect the "property value or safety and security of other existing residential or commercial property."

If and when a local government finds a space that meets these requirements, the camp must meet a few standards. For one, it must come with clean water and operable restrooms.

Local governments must also provide mental and behavioral health treatment resources, as well as full-time security and patrols ensuring no occupants bring in illegal substances or alcohol, according to the bill.

The bill doesn't specify how these services should be financed, but DeSantis said last month in a news conference that he'd be open to providing financial support to municipalities for shelters and mental health resources.

If the county or municipality doesn't comply with the new law, they could also be opened up to litigation.

County residents, business owners or the attorney general may sue the local government if they observe someone sleeping in public spaces outside of the designated camp, the bill states. The county or municipality has five days to relocate the person or people, or else they are in violation of the act and open to litigation.

The bill's opponents argue it doesn't address the structural issues of homelessness, and it only puts strain on local governments.

"I'm just saddened to see that our state government is wanting to punish cities and counties," said Palm Beach County Mayor Maria Sachs earlier this month. "It really is sort of an open invitation for an attorney to go ahead and sue a local government because our most vulnerable is sleeping in a park."

People experiencing homelessness who sleep in legally parked vehicles wouldn't be subject to the bill, however.

The bill goes into effect Oct. 1.