Florida is about to make life even harder for thousands of homeless people who have nowhere else to go. A bill that would ban them from sleeping on public property has passed the state legislature and is awaiting the signature of Governor Ron DeSantis, who supports the idea.
The bill would allow counties, with approval from the state Department of Children and Families, to designate areas for the homeless to camp for up to a year. But there’s a catch: anyone using those encampments would be prohibited from using alcohol or illegal drugs. And there’s no guarantee that the encampments would be safe, sanitary, or accessible to services.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Jonathan Martin, claims that the bill is a “compassionate response” to the shortage of shelters and that it will help eliminate the nuisance of homeless people living on public property and parks. He says that about 30,000 Floridians don’t have a home, and about half of them don’t have shelter.
But critics say that the bill is nothing but a cruel and inhumane attempt to hide the homeless from public view and criminalize their existence. They say that the bill does not address the root causes of homelessness, such as poverty, mental illness, addiction, and lack of affordable housing. They also say that the bill violates the constitutional rights of the homeless to due process and equal protection.
“This bill does not and it will not address the more pressing and root cause of homelessness,” said Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones. “We are literally reshuffling the visibility of unhoused individuals with no exit strategy for people who are experiencing homelessness.”
The bill defines public camping as “residing overnight in a temporary outdoor habitation used as a dwelling or living space and evidenced by the erection of a tent or other temporary shelter, the presence of bedding or pillows, or the storage of personal belongings.” It wouldn’t apply to people sleeping in legally parked vehicles.
The bill is expected to take effect on Oct. 1 if signed by DeSantis, who has been vocal about his disdain for the homeless situation in California and other states.
Florida is not the only state that has enacted or proposed laws that target the homeless. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, at least 187 cities have banned camping in public, 144 have banned loitering, and 70 have banned begging. These laws have been challenged in courts and sometimes struck down as unconstitutional.
Homelessness is a complex and multifaceted problem that requires comprehensive and compassionate solutions, not punitive and superficial ones. Florida’s bill is a step in the wrong direction that will only worsen the plight of the homeless and the stigma they face. It is a shame that the Sunshine State is turning its back on its most vulnerable citizens.
