JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayor Donna Deegan addressed the a new Florida state house bill which will make it illegal to sleep in public spaces Monday.
With just about three months until House Bill 1365 goes into effect, the mayor and city leaders are coming together to prepare. They have developed a 12 step plan that was released by the mayor’s office.
Deegan explained the plan during an announcement Monday: "It increases our bed capacity and our existing shelters with the scalability of hotel rooms as a back-up. We put more funding into outreach and intake teams that connect people with housing and wrap around service options. It builds on JSO's existing home-bound program that ensures we are focusing on the individuals who live here."
The law is supposed to take place October 1, and it is because of this time crunch city leaders are working hard to get ready.
Deegan says the goal is to achieve functional zero, meaning: the number of people entering homelessness, is equal to the number of people we are finding housing for, which for Deegan leads to a bigger picture with her saying, "it’s not just about keeping people off the streets, it’s about making sure they can become viable members of our society."
A five-year strategic plan has put been in place and will be brought to City Council in the near future.