A new law cracking down on public camping goes into effect Tuesday and local governments are readying themselves for possible consequences.
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According to the law, local governments can’t allow camping or sleeping on public property, but currently, there’s a major shortage of shelter beds across Central Florida.
On Monday, Channel 9 crews went inside of an encampment to hear from the unsheltered and a local expert.
Inside one East Orange County encampment, which was cleared last week by deputies, residents have already returned.
Read: New Florida laws to take effect Oct. 1
Our crews watched as residents on edge quickly left the encampment once we arrived.
Some experiencing homelessness told us they had nowhere else to go.
Advocates told us residents who had returned to the East Orange County camp were previously warned they could face arrest.
As the new statewide public camping ban takes effect Tuesday, Orange County is short at least 759 shelter beds according to the annual point-in-time count.