Florida governor signs bill banning sleeping in public spaces

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill this Wednesday that prohibits sleeping on public property, a measure that had recently been approved by state legislators amid the massive arrival of immigrants and rising rent prices.

The Republican headlined a news conference in Miami Beach, where he discussed the issue of homelessness in the state and promised greater access to services forhomeless, on issues such as substance abuse and mental health problems, reportedLocal 10.

According to DeSantis, the new legislation will ensure that the state's streets are "clean" and "safe."

"Prohibits camping on city streets, sidewalks and parks, creates enforcement tools to ensure local governments follow the law, and ensures homeless shelters provide mental health and drug abuse counseling alternatives for when shelters have reached their maximum capacity," defended DeSantis.

"We are acting on homelessness to ensure that Florida communities do not imitate other states' failed policies that have allowed homeless encampments to overwhelm society," he said.

The law, which goes into effect Oct. 1, says the state Department of Children and Families will oversee local governments that establish designated areas for homeless people to camp for up to one year.

However, in these camps the consumption of alcohol andillegal drugs, and health and safety services must be provided.

According to a news release from the governor's office, the encampments will be created only if local homeless shelters reach capacity.

Additionally, the law requires regional entities to provide access to behavioral treatment as a condition of establishing a camp.

DeSantis emphasized that allowing homeless people to camp in public spaces negatively impacts local quality of life and makes it difficult to provide needed services.

For their part, critics of the law argue that the governor's real goal is to simply hide the homeless from public view, without addressing the underlying causes of homelessness.

DeSantis was accompanied by Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner and Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast.

The law will go into full effect on October 1 of this year, and starting in January 2025, it will allow residents, local business owners and the state attorney general to file lawsuits to prevent any city or county from allowing people without home camping or sleeping on public property.

Last year the Miami Beach City Commission approved a measure allowing policearrest homeless people who refuse to be relocated to shelters.

The city already banned sleeping outdoors, but police were required to issue a warning before making an arrest.