MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced new initiatives the state legislature is considering to combat issues like homelessness, drugs and crime across the state.
Speaking at a news conference in Miami Beach, the governor Monday morning spoke at podium with a sign that read “Don’t allow Florida to become San Francisco.”
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The governor said while touring San Francisco over the summer he saw first hand how issues like homelessness and people living on the streets have become major problems for everyday citizens and businesses.
“You can go to like Los Angeles and like there’s just like tent cities are everywhere — on the sidewalk and on public areas,” the governor said. “It’s not something that you can actually have a vibrant society when things like that are happening. And so we’re here today, the legislature is considering doing something to just ensure from a statewide perspective, we’re not going to let any city turn into a San Francisco. Not on our watch. We’re not gonna let that happen.”
The governor mentioned new statewide policies to address these issues and advocated for new measures to protect people here in Florida.
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“We are going to keep our streets clean, we’re going to keep our community safe, and that will require at least some of the following measures. We need to prohibit camping on all city streets, sidewalks and parks,” the governor said. “I am open to providing financial support for communities for things like like sheltering, also for things to try to address some of the mental health problems that we see with people on the street. I think that’s totally something that we can agree to do to be able to help deal with some of the problems with this, as well as the substance abuse.”
Under the bill that was filed last month, a county may not authorize or permit public sleeping or public camping on public property, public buildings, or public rights-of-way within the county’s jurisdiction without a lawfully issued temporary permit. If a county wants to designate an area for the homeless, it must have public restrooms, 24-hour security, and access to substance abuse and mental health treatment resources.
Back in November, Orlando city leaders and businesses announced new steps to address homelessness.
Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill said resources are on the way to the city. She said new federal grants have already gotten results, moving dozens of families living in tents in Parramore into permanent housing. Hill said another $58 million from the American Rescue Plan will provide even more services and will transform some city-owned lots in Parramore into affordable housing.
The governor said he’s unclear if there is a final product proposed yet that covers all of his proposals.
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