March 20 (UPI) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Wednesday that bans homeless people from setting up tents or sleeping in public spaces, as he compared the issue of homelessness to the chaos 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 that will take effect Oct. 1.
“We have to govern this state and our communities with an eye towards what’s in the best interest of the law-abiding citizen … too often people in other states, other cities, they’re not doing well. It’s like they let the inmates run the asylum,” DeSantis said.
The bill, HB 1365, requires cities and counties to move people sleeping on city streets, sidewalks and parks into shelters or government encampments.
Public camping, according to the bill, is defined 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 be required to provide running water, restrooms, addiction treatment and mental-health services.
“We’ve seen the homeless population throughout the country grow between 2019 and 2022 by 3%,” DeSantis said. “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 added in a statement. “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 argue that the bill does not address the underlying problems of homelessness — which include economic struggles, drug addition and mental-health issues — calling it merely a means to get the homeless cleared out of public view.
“This bill does not and it will not address the more pressing and root cause of homelessness,” argued 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 — passed its own legislation last year, allowing police to arrest homeless who refuse to move to shelters.
“Welcome to Miami Beach, the law and order city in the law and order state of Florida,” Meiner told reporters. “Sometimes it’s a little bit of tough love, but it’s necessary tough love.”
