homelessness

With free hot meals, showers and a friendly judge, the Fort Lauderdale Community Court is Broward's most unusual courtroom. The program began in 2019 as a jail diversion program for unhoused individuals charged with low-level nonviolent offenses, but has grown into a clearing house for homeless services — and is particularly valuable after camping bans were enacted.

Palm Beach County officials and nonprofits release an annual report showing less people without shelter, living in abandoned buildings, bus stops and parks. But experts warn there’s more behind the numbers.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) last week instructed local law enforcement in the Florida Keys to clear residents from a homeless camp in Marathon. The move comes as the city of Marathon faces a lawsuit citing a Florida law passed last year that bans public sleeping and camping.

Miami Beach Commissioner Joe Magazine has proposed paying $10 million to the county's Homeless Trust instead of taxing small businesses 1% on sales to fund homelessness programs.

In the midst of a feud over tax funding for Homeless Services, Miami-Dade County says Miami Beach needs to pay its fair share for services.

“The idea is to use this building to break that cycle and actually shrink over time, significantly, the homeless population," Judge Steve Leifman said about the Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery, which is gearing up to open.

Florida's homeless population could be severely impacted by a law that goes into effect on Oct. 1. Although many cities already have ordinances that limit sleeping in public places, the new law stipulates that the unhoused be relocated to shelters, with law enforcement present to monitor them.

In all, 34 laws that passed during the 2024 legislative session will take effect, with the homeless changes (HB 1365) drawing the most attention.

Bettina Grzeskowiak founded Embrace of Celebration, a nonprofit that reaches thousands of families living through Central Florida's housing crisis.

Palm Beach County released its annual count on homelessness this week, showing the number of individuals and families living on the street has gone up significantly in the past year.

A controversial proposal designed to prevent homeless people from sleeping in public places while leaving local governments to address the issue is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Proponents say House Bill 1365 will keep streets safer, while advocates for people experiencing homelessness say it will further criminalize a vulnerable population.