Homelessness & Systemic Barriers in Brevard County, Florida
Homelessness in Brevard County isn’t a statistic — it’s a human story of survival inside a system with more barriers than pathways forward. One of those stories belongs to Ramona, who has lived unhoused since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I just need a safe place to sleep,” she told me as she described the daily reality of trying to protect her belongings and find somewhere she won’t be forced to move. “Not having a place to go to the bathroom, not having privacy, not having somewhere to lay down when you’re sick like I am right now… it’s hard.”
Her story reflects a larger issue unfolding across Florida. In 2024, the state passed HB 1365, a law allowing counties to clear public spaces where homeless residents rest or sleep. But in Brevard, shelter capacity remains far below local need. According to the Florida Council on Homelessness 2024 Report, the county has only a fraction of the beds required to house its unsheltered population.
As a result, many people like Ramona are displaced repeatedly — with no real alternative.
“I contacted them all,” she said. “I’ve done the interviews, the paperwork… no place has helped me.”
Without identification cards or transportation, even basic aid becomes inaccessible. “I can’t even get help with clothing if I don’t have a Social Security card.”
To understand the issue from the service side, I spoke with Betsy, a manager at The Sharing Center, one of the main support organizations serving struggling families and homeless individuals in the area.
“Food is a right that everybody has, and we’re barely keeping up with the demand,” she told me. She explained that the population seeking help has changed dramatically. “The demographics are all over the place. It doesn’t discriminate — it’s old, it’s young, it’s working families.”
One of the biggest misconceptions, she added, is the belief that people experiencing homelessness “aren’t trying.”
“People say, ‘Why don’t they just get a job?’ They don’t understand what put a person in that situation. You cannot judge.”
Local data from the Brevard Homeless Coalition supports her perspective, showing that many unhoused residents are employed but cannot afford rent or meet ID/documentation requirements for assistance programs.
When asked what would help her most, Ramona didn’t hesitate:
“Someplace safe… even if it was just a little shack. Shower, bathroom, a place to sleep, to eat, and try to get employment.”
Her story shows the harsh truth: until housing, services, and legislation align, displacement will continue — and survival will remain the daily priority for hundreds across the county.
Homelessness in Brevard County is not just a policy issue. It is a human issue, lived every day by people like Ramona.
