With Florida’s so-called “anti-camping” law going into effect on Oct. 1, the City of Fort Lauderdale is taking its own steps to not only comply with the law but to go even further to move homeless people off the streets.
The city already has outreach teams which interact every day with unhoused people, trying to help them get services for mental illness and substance abuse. There currently more than 700 homeless people on the streets of the city.
“The recent point in time count shows that our city has about 50% of the homeless in the county,” said Fort Lauderdale’s vice mayor, Steve Glassman.
At Tuesday night’s city commission meeting, a homeowner complained about homeless people spending nights in his neighborhood park and scaring residents away.
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“I know Hardy Park, that they do not come down there in the morning, families, because they’re too afraid of what they’re gonna find at the playground,” said Ted Inserra.
So with the new state law about to take effect, the city took action, even though Mayor Dean Trantalis opposed the law when it first passed the legislature.
“We cannot continue to sit here, wring our hands and say woe is me, I don’t know the answer, let’s kick the can down the road, we can’t kick the can anymore,” Trantalis said at the meeting.
The state law bans overnight camping on public property. The city passed an ordinance which bans it 24 hours a day, taking a tougher stand than the state does.
“Well the reason is, it’s difficult just to worry about the night time and for the quality of life for our citizens and neighborhoods we felt it was much better to make it just all day and protect those public lands, those public spaces,” Glassman said. “The city of Fort Lauderdale has always tried every compassionate measure that you can possibly think of, but now we just need more tools in the toolbox and this is that.”
The city and Broward County collaborate on running the Homeless Assistance Center, and right next door on Northwest 7th Avenue, the city opened Seven on Seventh, which offers living space and social services to help them get back into society.
“And that’s really what this is all about, it’s not just finding that shelter bed, that place to stay, to hang your hat, but also getting the services that you need to help you deal with your issues,” Glassman said.
Critics of the law, including Mayor Trantalis, said back in February that it would just criminalize homelessness and result in the jail being flooded with homeless people, who are then released back out on the streets of the city, perpetuating the cycle. Fort Lauderdale officials says they need more help from the county and the state to expand services for the unhoused population.
