Florida Legislature passes anti-homeless camping bill, set for DeSantis consideration

TALLAHASSEE, Fla – A bill to crack down on public camping or sleeping is slated to head to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk for signature.

The bill prohibits a county or municipality from authorizing or permitting public sleeping or public camping on public property, public buildings or public rights-of-way without a lawfully issued temporary permit.

Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, carried SB 1530 in the Senate, while Rep. Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island, carried HB 1365 in the House. The House passed their version last week by a vote of 82 to 26. The Senate passed the bill 27-12.

“It’s our responsibility to deal with homelessness, and that’s why we can’t wait any longer to bring this solution. The current model is not working,” Martin said.

Martin noted that the federal government “provides roughly $115 million to continuum of care to provide permanent housing solutions for the homeless,” but the homeless population “continues to grow.”

DeSantis previously expressed support for the legislation.

“Public camping or sleeping” is defined to mean “lodging or 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.”

Under the bill, a county may, by majority vote of its governing body, “designate property owned by the
county or by a municipality within the county to be used for public camping or sleeping for up to one year.”

The designated property must establish standards including ensuring safety, maintaining sanitation including restrooms and running water, and coordinating with the regional managing entity to provide access to behavioral health services. This includes substance abuse and mental health resources.

The property also must prohibit illegal drug and alcohol use.

The Department of Children and Families may inspect the properties at any time.

Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, opposed the bill in debate.

“What we’re doing today is not a plan. What we’re doing is putting a band aid on a far greater bleeding issue in this state,” Jones said.

In closing, Martin said the bill “sends a message” to local governments, continuums of care and homeless individuals that “we as a legislature are doing our part to right the ship and provide housing, safety, and services for our homeless population in Florida.”

He called the bill a “compassionate response” to the shortage of shelters by providing an alternative to “sleeping in the streets.”

Martin noted that $30 million is proposed in the budget for challenge grants to continuums of care to “work with counties and cities and providing mental health and substance abuse services, short term and traditional shelters, sanctioned camping sites and safe parking sites.”

According to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, on a single night in January 2023, approximately 653,000 people were homeless in the U.S. About 30,000 of those were in Florida.