Where will local homeless people go after new public residence ban enacts?

A homeless camp in Alva was cleared out Friday by inmates with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. The people who were living there got trespassed because the land is considered private property.

Come October 1, there’s a chance we’ll start seeing a lot more of this.

Governor DeSantis signed a law banning the homeless from sleeping on sidewalks, in parks and in other public spaces.

Homeless people face the hurdles of drugs, alcohol or not enough bed space, but a shelter director told us that another major hurdle is people not wanting to part ways with a partner or pet.

“You will have two people that, for whatever reason, they can’t spend a single night apart from one another,” said Michael Nojunas, director of Campbell Lodge, St. Matthew’s House shelter.

The law will not allow homeless people on city streets, sidewalks or parks, meaning clean-ups will become more common.

“People who may have had established campsites that can no longer stay in those areas, they’re going to naturally seek warmer weather, and they’re going to come south,” Nojunas said.

The new law calls for designated camping locations with mental health and drug abuse services. What those will look like is still a mystery.

“We’ve had a few questions about it, from our homeless community, from members in our community, wanting just wondering how this is going to work. I don’t know. Any change is going to come with some measure of discomfort,” Nojunas said.

And sometimes, discomfort can be a catalyst for growth.

“One positive aspect of this law is people are no longer going to be ignored. They’re going to get the attention that they need and want, and hopefully, that will give them access to the services that are available,” Nojunas said.

We reached out to Lee County to find out more about their specific plans for designated camping locations, but they have yet to get back to us.

The state will provide $10 million for counties to implement the law. It’s still not known how that money will be distributed.