Fort Lauderdale reports decline in camping complaints, expands outreach and treatment placements

Chris Cooper, acting assistant city manager, gave the commission a monthly update on homelessness work, beginning with state and local legal context. "House Bill 13 65 created a section of Florida statute that compelled municipalities and counties to prohibit camping on public property," Cooper said, and he noted the city adopted ordinance sections 16‑32 and 16‑33 to implement the law and required reporting.

Cooper presented February operational data: the city received 234 homelessness‑related service requests in February, 149 of which were for public camping; that represented a 22% month‑to‑month decrease from January. Outreach teams — Fort Lauderdale Police officers assigned to the homeless outreach team — inspected reported locations within five days as required by statute, Cooper said. The outreach team reported 1,700 total encounters from October 1 through March, 109 people were not present at inspection, 54 accepted information and left voluntarily, staff issued 41 notices to appear and placed 38 individuals into The Caring Place shelter program contracted by the city. The outreach team also purchased 14 reunification bus tickets when a family or sponsor at the destination was available to receive the person.

Cooper described community court activity: community court operates weekly and functions as an intake point where about 30 service providers meet walk‑in clients. In February, staff recorded 366 walk‑ins and 18 notice‑to‑appear respondents; two program graduates completed court‑mandated program requirements. Community court, Cooper said, has become a primary intake site for coordinated entry into Broward County’s homeless management system.

On funding and program expansions, Cooper said the city secured more than $1 million in initiatives and grants: $250,000 from the state Department of Children and Families to fund 10 mental‑health treatment beds (allocated through Homes United) and substance‑use treatment beds (through Fellowship Recovery); a community project funding award of $850,000 over two years (about $425,000 per year) that will fund overtime for outreach patrols, parks cleaning, and signage at hot‑spot intersections; and the city is a finalist to host a Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellow whose salary would be provided for two years. Cooper said the city is also reviewing two unsolicited safe‑parking proposals for people living in vehicles and is coordinating with Broward County and United Way on potential partnerships.

Commissioners asked about reunification destinations, trends in origin points and shelter bed availability; Cooper said destinations vary (in‑state and out‑of‑area) and that a point‑in‑time survey being finalized would provide more detail. Commissioner Beasley Pittman and other commissioners praised many faith‑based and private partners and urged continued outreach.

Ending: Staff will continue monthly reports and return with more detail on point‑in‑time survey results, HUD agreement timing for the community project funding grant and any safe‑parking program proposals; community court and outreach activities will continue as primary intake and engagement points.