Life on the Streets After Florida’s Anti-Camping Law

Florida’s new anti-camping law is reshaping daily survival for people experiencing homelessness across Brevard County. Nearly 70% of the county’s homeless population is unsheltered, and many describe being repeatedly pushed out of public places simply for trying to rest or stay safe. In our earlier investigation, individuals like Tina and Tony described being trespassed, displaced, and woken up by police even during storms. As Anthony explained, “With the police, it does sometimes seem like they kind of bully you a little… they push you around.”

The stigma is clear to those living it, “You can tell homelessness is not something that’s accepted in society.” When asked what they wished the public understood, the response was immediate: “A lot of it is a mental illness. It really is… they cannot function in this society.”

Their lived experience reflects what research confirms: mental illness, trauma, and constant displacement make stability nearly impossible. According to national and state-level studies, criminalization increases harm and public cost, while housing and treatment reduce homelessness.

Florida’s Anti-Camping Law (HB 1365) goes even further, allowing residents and businesses to sue counties if they do not remove people from public spaces—even when no shelter beds exist. As our interviewee described, the result is forced displacement and a direct pipeline into an expensive, for-profit jail system.

The data is undeniable, but the stories are human. As the closing line of the interview emphasized:
“The data is clear. The stories are human. The crisis is preventable. Every law, every statistic, every policy affects a real human life.”