ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – With cold weather in the forecast, the South Econ Recreation Center gym has been opened as a warming center for those in need. The decision comes as county leaders prepare to discuss compliance with recently passed state legislation on homelessness.
Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe said the Board of County Commissioners will address the requirements of House Bill 1365 during a meeting on Tuesday.
“To make a plan, how we take complaints, what are our options?” Uribe said. “What is the process of someone to be found under a complaint?”
The first phase of HB 1365, which went into effect in October, prohibits individuals from sleeping or camping on public property. It also mandates that local governments provide housing and mental health services for displaced individuals.
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However, the law’s second phase, which took effect on Jan. 1, allows residents and business owners to sue local governments if complaints about unhoused individuals are not addressed within five days.
Uribe expressed concerns about the financial implications of the new requirements.
“One of the biggest issues is that it’s unfunded,” Uribe said. “We are looking at tax dollars to implement and do a program that was initiated to us by the state with zero funding.”
According to the county’s latest data, Orange County has more than 2,000 unhoused individuals, a 24% increase from the previous year.
Eric Gray, executive director of the Christian Service Center for the Homeless, criticized the law, saying it is ineffective in addressing homelessness.
“Insanity. I think it’s one of the dumbest laws the state has ever passed,” Gray said.
Gray also warned about potential negative outcomes of the legislation.
“I think just the general criminalization of homelessness can lead to the vilification of those experiencing homelessness,” Gray said. “The idea that someone homeless is less of a neighbor than anyone else in our community is a terrible thing to consider.”
In the meantime, Lynx bus services are offering free transportation to warming centers throughout the county.
The Board of County Commissioners is set to continue the discussion on Tuesday.
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