Earlier this year, the Florida Legislature passed HB 1365, a policy that will make it a crime for people to stay and sleep on public land, even if no other option is available. While proponents of the bill argue that the purpose is to require that unsheltered people sleep in designated camps or shelters rather than on the sidewalk, there is no funding included for cities to create these encampments or more shelters. Many communities such as our own in Central Florida already have shelters that are at capacity most nights and an increasing number of people experiencing homelessness due to rising rents.

Under this law, Floridians who cannot get into a camp due to the lack of one, the lack of space, or not qualifying in the first place will most likely face fines and incarceration. What Florida intends to do with its residents who cannot later find work or housing due to criminal charges and fines is up in the air.

Effective October 1st, the bill offers no clear plan for how law enforcement and the court system will handle people who are sleeping outside while shelters are at capacity. This law will give cities and states permission to punish people who are forced to sleep outside, even when they have no other safe option. This will not only do nothing to end homelessness but will also punish people for existing in public simply because they have nowhere to go.

Our Executive Director, Eric Gray, describes this approach as creating a "self-propelling cycle." As homeless individuals are pushed further from city centers without reliable transportation, their survival becomes even more difficult, forcing behaviors that are now being criminalized.

"So, this is a crazy doom loop spiral of insanity that just doesn't make any sense. And all it is, is kicking a very large can down a very dangerous road, and nobody knows where it ends," Gray said.

Here at the Christian Service Center, we are concerned for our fellow Central Floridians who have nowhere safe to sleep, as rising rents and the prevalence of low-wage jobs continue to push people into homelessness. We are concerned that this new law will force those experiencing homelessness to move even further from our city centers to avoid arrest, distancing them from the essential services they desperately need.

Despite these challenges, the Christian Service Center remains steadfast in our commitment to serving all those in need and helping individuals secure permanent housing. We believe that a "Housing First" approach is the most effective solution to address homelessness. Once individuals have a safe and secure place to live, they are better equipped to address other challenges such as finding employment, managing their health, and reconnecting with their communities. By providing housing first, we create a foundation for stability, dignity, and lasting change, breaking the cycle of homelessness for good.