JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville organization plans to propose a 5-year program to the Jacksonville City Council to address a new ban that will prevent unhoused people from sleeping outdoors overnight.
St. Augustine enacted an ordinance in 2007 that prohibited camping outdoors from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
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The county also executed a program to help the unhoused community.
“We do a little bit more humanitarian work on that side because we contract with the St. Francis House for eight beds per night, so usually, we utilize those beds if we find people camping outside. We will give them the option to go to that bed,” Assistant Chief of Police Anthony Cuthbert said.
Cuthbert said people without homes usually take advantage of the opportunity. He also said it creates a chance to help with underlying causes of homelessness such as dependency and mental health challenges.
Gerald Cates, a Vestry member, wears many hats at his home church, including helping out the unhoused who may use the church as a temporary home.
“I believe they need somewhere to stay during the day. That’s safe. That’s out of the rain. That’s out of the heat and somewhere they can wash their clothing and clean themselves,” Cates said.
Duval County will enforce a similar ordinance, but plans are being made to figure out how to prepare before the October 1 changes ban overnight outdoor sleeping.
“First, I just want to say making it illegal to sleep in public, there’s already laws against sleeping on private property and that’s called trespassing,” Cindy Funkhouser, Sulzbacher CEO, said. “So, that means it’s basically illegal to be homeless.”
Funkhouser said there will be a proposal sent to city council for a 5-year homeless strategic plan, and it will cost millions of dollars in the first year.
“There are a lot of us working together with the mayor’s office, city council, JSO when we as a community found out that this law was going to be put into effect,” Funkhouser said.
If the plan is approved, Funkhouser said it would take effect just before the new ordinance goes into effect later this year.
The Community Benefits Agreement from the stadium deal would also help local agencies like Sulzbacher.