KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The city of Kissimmee and Orange County both approved no-camping ordinances on Tuesday, joining other municipalities in complying with new state requirements to address homelessness.
In Kissimmee, the ordinance passed with a 4-1 vote.
“This is in concert with the Senate bill that went into effect Jan. 1,” a city official said. “It establishes the penalties and allows enforcement of this particular state statute.”
Earlier in the day, the Orange County Commission approved its no-camping ordinance by a 5-2 vote. County officials emphasized the ordinance gives law enforcement with tools to enforce the measure and protect the county from potential legal challenges.
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“This puts law enforcement in a better position on our behalf if we are experiencing violations,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. “It gives them the authority to take action under the county ordinance.”
The measures comply with House Bill 1365, which mandates local governments prohibit sleeping or camping on public property. It also requires municipalities to provide housing and mental health services to individuals affected by the ordinances.
However, starting Jan. 1, the law allows any member of the public, including business owners, to sue local governments if individuals are not removed from public property within five days of a complaint being filed.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said arrests would be a last resort.
“In order to get some of these individuals off the streets, you have to address the underlying issues, such as mental illness and substance abuse,” Demings said. “If you can help a person address those issues, you can help them become more functional.”
Orange County plans to establish an online portal and a 3-1-1 hotline for residents to file complaints. The Sheriff’s Office’s Behavioral Response Unit said it will make contact with affected individuals and offer assistance.
“We are trying our best to get those individuals into services,” an official from the Behavioral Services Unit said. “We will go out, meet with those individuals, and try to provide them with mental health and substance abuse disorder services.”
Eric Gray, with the Christian Service Center for the Homeless, spoke against the ordinance during the Orange County Commission meeting, urging officials to reject it.
“I’m not surprised it was passed,” Gray said. “Most other municipalities in the state have done it or are going to do it. I was just hopeful that Orange County might be the one to stand up to the school bully, in this case, the state.”
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