Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a measure Wednesday prohibiting homeless individuals from pitching tents or camping in public places, comparing the issue to the mayhem of spring break.
“Ultimately, the issue with spring break plays into the issue of these homeless encampments,” DeSantis told reporters as he signed the bill, which goes into effect October 1.
“We must administer this state and our towns with an eye toward what is best for the law-abiding citizen… Too often, folks in other states and cities are not doing well. DeSantis remarked, “It’s as if they let the inmates run the asylum.”
HB 1365 compels towns and counties to shift those sleeping on city streets, sidewalks, and parks to shelters or government encampments.
Public camping, as defined by the law, is described 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.”
The shelters and camps would have to provide running water, bathrooms, drug treatment, and mental health services.
“We’ve seen the homeless population throughout the country grow between 2019 and 2022 by 3%,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Over that period of time, Florida’s population of homeless declined by 11%.”
“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 in a press release. “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.”
Critics contend that the bill does not address the underlying causes of homelessness, which include economic challenges, drug addiction, and mental health issues, and that it is simply a technique to remove the homeless from public view.
“This bill does not and will not address the more pressing and root causes 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.”
Miami Beach Mayor Steve Meiner, whose city led a recent crackdown on spring break visitors, enacted legislation last year that allows police to prosecute homeless people who refuse to go to shelter.
“Welcome to Miami Beach, the law and order city in the law and order state of Florida,” Meiner told journalists. “Sometimes it’s a little bit of tough love, but it’s necessary tough love.”