JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Individuals and businesses in Florida will have the right to sue local governments if they fail to enforce the state-mandated ban on sleeping in public spaces come Jan. 1.
The law, which took effect in October, has prompted cities to take action. This phase allows lawsuits against cities not in full compliance. Since House Bill 1365 went into effect, the city has funded organizations and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department to help get people off the streets.
“The Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department has been given well over a million and a half dollars for their program of picking up the homeless folks from the streets and public spaces and taking them to shelters around the city that are designated for homelessness,” said Councilman Matt Carlucci. “Also, there was a million dollars passed to help the homeless shelters like Trinity Rescue and the others to build additional housing for the homeless.”
Carlucci feels this law has been a positive change for the city.
“I have seen, just in the last month, it’s just less homeless population in the downtown area,” he noted. “I know the homeless population has spread to different parts of town, but in the downtown area. I don’t have any facts on this, but I’ve noticed the difference.”
Carlucci believes helping the homeless population could boost city development.
“We’ve already moved the needle a little bit, and I think the needle will continue to move in the right direction, where we’re helping people and at the same time we’re helping economic development,” he said.
The city continues to spread the word about the new law through the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, downtown vision ambassadors, and other departments.
This year, the United States saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness, according to federal officials.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found over 770,000 people were counted as homeless, a significant increase from last year’s 12%.