A new law in Florida that criminalizes sleeping in public areas is set to take effect next month and has raised concerns from Fort Lauderdale’s mayor, Dean Trantalis, about a potential surge of lawsuits without addressing the homelessness crisis in the state. The law, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in March, mandates that municipalities lacking adequate shelter capacity must create encampments for unhoused individuals starting October 1.
During a recent contentious city commission meeting in Fort Lauderdale, various proposals were discussed, including using the parking lot of a soccer stadium or the city hall roof for encampments, as well as providing one-way bus tickets to send unhoused individuals to other states. However, no decisions were made.
Trantalis criticized the state for imposing a “draconian mandate” without offering support. He highlighted that the number of unsheltered people in Fort Lauderdale nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023, contributing to an 18.5% rise in homelessness across Florida and a national increase of 12%.
The mayor expressed concerns that funding for homeless services might be at risk once a provision of the law allows private citizens to sue municipalities that do not adequately address rough sleeping. This could lead to a wave of legal actions against cities, shifting resources away from assisting the homeless toward defending against lawsuits.
Advocates for the homeless voiced similar worries, noting that the law places financial and logistical burdens solely on local governments while threatening them with significant penalties for noncompliance. Diana Stanley, CEO of a prominent homeless shelter, emphasized the need for collaborative solutions rather than punitive measures.
Furthermore, Trantalis mentioned a lack of cooperation from law enforcement and the judicial system in creating protocols for managing public sleeping. Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony recently stated that homelessness should not be criminalized, asserting that the jail system is not a solution to the issue.
Trantalis clarified that the intention was not to criminalize the homeless but to provide shelter and necessary services. Ron Book, chair of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, acknowledged the ongoing discussions sparked by the law but declared his opposition to encampments due to their ineffectiveness in resolving homelessness.
Legal experts believe the law appears to centralize power at the state level, potentially undermining local governments’ ability to effectively address homelessness. They pointed out that without appropriate funding or comprehensive plans, the law does not genuinely aim to resolve the issue and may instead create more complications.