Enforcing state law on street camping in Punta Gorda

More than a month since the new state law banning sleeping in public places went into effect the city of Punta Gorda voted on if an ordinance change was needed.

It bans camping on city streets, sidewalks, and parks impacting people in the community struggling with homelessness.

The city council voted 3-2 to oppose any changes to the ordinance to define sleeping in the park as “Lodging or residing overnight – with or without a tent or other temporary shelter”.

Under the law, municipalities are prohibited from allowing people to camp or sleep on public property and are required to designate a specific public space for camping and sleeping.

These areas need to be approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families and include security, behavioral health services, bathrooms and running water.

The state already has a process in place not allowing sleeping in parks.

Homeless shelters in the area, including Bread of Life Mission Inc., believe this creates a bigger issue for the community.

“When it comes to them trying to wipe all the homeless people off the street, no matter where they’re at in the state of Florida,” said Dakota Counts. “I think the county and everybody else should be trying to come together with a plan to put a building or a shelter, which we are the only shelter in Punta Gorda with no funding. And we do help as many people as we can, but they should be coming together with the community to actually help bring him up off of it.”

This was the second reading of the proposed ordinance.

Council members were not keen on fining homeless people for sleeping in the park but wanted to better define the law and enforcement for the city.