JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Sleeping and camping on public grounds would be illegal in Florida if a bill advanced through its second Senate committee Monday becomes law, and local governments that fail to enforce it would be able to be sued by private businesses.
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Governor Ron DeSantis also threw his support behind the bill Monday morning, arguing it could help address homelessness in the state and alleviate its impact on business and the general public.
“We’re gonna protect Floridians and their quality of life, their freedom, the public order, and their businesses from having homelessness, crime, and drugs impinge on that,” said DeSantis.
The bill would allow businesses to sue their local government and collect damages if public sleeping and camping laws aren’t being enforced and negatively impact their bottom line.
It’s an idea local business owner and Jacksonville City Councilmember Raul Arias (R-District 11) said he supports.
“There’s a lot of people camping out right next to their shopping center, in the back of their shopping center. It makes it unsafe for not only the clients but also the staff members,” said Arias.
But during a council committee meeting on homelessness Monday, Dawn Gilman with Changing Homelessness raised concerns about the potential cost of one provision in the bill.
It allows for local governments to designate property for public camping, so long as it doesn’t impact the property values of nearby businesses and includes amenities like water, electricity, and security.
“A 50 tent encampment is about $1.3 million per year,” said Gilman.
READ: Florida lawmakers propose banning people from sleeping or camping on public property without permits
With the unsheltered homeless population in Duval sitting at 366 at last count, that could be roughly $9.5 million a year based on Gilman’s math.
Mayor Donna Deegan’s administration told Action News Jax in an emailed statement her team is monitoring the bill as it moves through the legislature.
“Meanwhile, we are pursuing bipartisan local efforts to solve homelessness for the citizens of Jacksonville,” said Deegan’s Chief Communications Officer Philp Perry.
Councilmember Jimmy Peluso (D-District 7) said he’d rather see the legislature address homeless issues with more funding and services, instead of forcing local governments to shoulder all of the cost and put more people in jail.
“If you’re going to remove someone off the street, there better be a long-term solution on where to put them, and if you’re just gonna throw them in a shelter or the jail, that is not that solution,” said Peluso.
The Governor did note during his comments Monday that he sees the bill as a work in progress and doesn’t necessarily endorse all of the provisions it currently contains.
DeSantis also floated the idea of the state stepping up to provide more funding for shelters, which is something currently not included in the legislation.
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