ORLANDO, Fla. – Imagine having no place to call home—sleeping in your car or, worse, on the street. This grim reality is the daily experience for thousands of people across Central Florida, where homelessness continues to pose a significant challenge.
As of late, the issue has sparked an even more heated debate, fueled by recent legislation designed to address the problem. While some view a new law as a progressive step forward, others argue it creates more problems than it solves.
Central Florida faces a stark “math problem” when it comes to addressing homelessness. Available resources simply don’t add up to meet the demand.
According to the Homeless Services Network’s 2024 Point-in-Time census, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties collectively reported 2,776 people experiencing homelessness. This group includes individuals staying in shelters, living in cars, and sleeping outdoors.
However, the same census revealed a critical shortfall in shelter availability. Across these three counties, only 709 shelter beds are available—just one-fourth of what’s needed to accommodate the homeless population.
The challenge has been further complicated by new legislation known as the Florida Homelessness Reduction Act (HB 1365), which went into effect last October.
The law bans sleeping or camping on public property (without permission) and requires local governments to provide temporary shelters equipped with essential services, including access to bathrooms as well as availability of mental health and substance abuse support.
The new legislation’s rollout left little room for many municipalities to quickly ramp up to comply. Initially, there were no penalties for non-compliance, but that changed on Jan. 1, when the second phase of HB 1365 took effect.
Starting last week, any resident or business owner can sue a local government if they believe no action has been taken to remove a homeless individual from public spaces within five days of filing a written complaint.
That threat of civil lawsuits has many local governments scrambling to come up with comprehensive plans to not only remove homeless individuals from the streets but also provide the needed services and shelter space.
While the legislation aims to address the issue through stricter rules and expanded services, its implementation highlights the region’s glaring gaps in resources and infrastructure.
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