Back in March, Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a law banning homeless people from sleeping in public spaces, instead seeking to move them to shelters or government encampments if the former reach full capacity. These encampments or shelters must have restrooms, running water, security, and access to mental health and drug rehab services.
While communities across the state rushed to find solutions to comply with the imminent legislation, the bill generated intense debates among supporters, who argue that public camping poses safety and quality-of-life issues and critics who contend that the law criminalizes homelessness without addressing the underlying need for housing solutions.
