- HB 1365 went into effect Oct. 1, banning public camping or sleeping in non-designated public areas in all situations.
- There is one exception — the new law does not apply during state of emergencies, like severe weather.
- Watch now to hear from one unsheltered neighbor who rode out Hurricane Helene in a local encampment.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Here in Leon County, there are more than 300 people who are unsheltered are living in encampments like the one behind me.
While a new law makes these illegal, it does not apply during severe weather emergencies like we saw with Helene.
I’m Alberto Camargo in the Southwest Tallahassee neighborhood.
I’m digging into the state law and the impacts on people here in Leon County.
HB 1365: Unauthorized Public Camping and Public Sleeping says local governments cannot “allow public camping or sleeping on public property” — except for in areas that have been given the green light by the Florida Department of Children and Families.
But during severe weather, the law says encampments are OK.