Central Florida leaders grapple with consequences of upcoming anti-camping law

LEESBURG, Fla. — Carlton Jackson spends most of his days sitting at the park across the street from Leesburg’s City Hall.

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He spends most of his nights there, too.

Jackson is homeless and one of a number within city limits traveling between the park, downtown, and the bike trail.

Come October 1, Jackson’s favorite sleeping spots will become illegal, thanks to a new Florida law that criminalizes regularly sleeping or camping in a public space.

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“It’s just like getting a can of RAID,” he said. “Just spray roaches, and it’s over with. “We’re not roaches, we’re people.”

A few blocks away, Mayor Jimmy Burry contemplated the new law’s effects. Leesburg doesn’t have a permanent shelter for the city’s homeless and instead relies on churches to assist where they can.

He said he was afraid his police would be consumed with arresting the homeless instead of cracking down on car break-ins. If they built a shelter, he said, it could open Leesburg up to other cities bussing their populations in.

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“Is that my tax base that’s going to be paying for those people?” Burry asked.

Burry said Leesburg would reveal its plan at its next meeting.

Across Central Florida, other cities had varying responses when asked about the anti-camping law.

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Some, like Melbourne and Ocala, pointed to the resources and laws they already had on the books and said they were in good shape.

Apopka’s mayor said his city would work to connect people to resources and services. Winter Park said a new law was being drafted, while Sanford said no procedural changes were expected.

Jackson said his main request was for a job so he could get off the streets permanently.

“If you’re going to do something, create a solution to the problem instead of enhancing the problem,” he said.

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