Fort Lauderdale might have the perfect spot for a homeless camp right under its nose, says mayoral candidate Jim Lewis.
Lewis suggests the city set up a homeless encampment on a small portion of the 20-acre lot just south of Chase Stadium, where Inter Miami and soccer superstar Lionel Messi play.
The land, slated for a park that Inter Miami’s owners promised to build, is now being used for overflow parking on game days.
Cities across the state are in a race to find spots for homeless encampments before the new state law that bans sleeping in public places kicks in on Oct. 1. The camps would need running water and could remain in place for one year.
Fort Lauderdale Commissioner John Herbst has suggested setting up a homeless “safe parking zones” on the roof of a city-owned parking garage.
Lewis argues his idea makes more sense.
“The idea being floated of using the downtown rooftop of a city parking garage is ill advised for many reasons,” he said. “While the Inter Miami CF soccer team may not be thrilled with the idea, they are dragging their feet to build a promised city park on site, so let’s use the space. We all have to make sacrifices in this situation.”