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Miami Lakes adopts ordinance banning public camping and sleeping to align with state law
Summary
The town adopted an ordinance prohibiting public camping or sleeping on municipal property after the town attorney said Florida law now requires municipalities to prohibit such behavior; the council also heard the sheriff's office will enforce the rule while continuing to coordinate outreach to homeless service providers.
The Miami Lakes Town Council voted July 26 to adopt an ordinance that prohibits public camping or sleeping on town property, bringing local code into alignment with a Florida statutory change that was discussed at the meeting.
Town Attorney Jeremy Resnick told the council the ordinance mirrors a state change requiring municipalities to adopt rules forbidding public camping and sleeping so jurisdictions do not risk penalties and to ensure consistent enforcement. "Florida statute was amended last year, to make it a responsibility for all, municipalities to ensure that there is, no public camping," Resnick said.
Enforcement and services: Council members asked how enforcement will be handled; Resnick and council members said the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office will carry out enforcement and that deputies will continue outreach efforts and referrals to homelessness service providers. The attorney said enforcement would not mean immediate arrests; instead the sheriff’s office relies on offers of services and coordinated responses where appropriate.
Why it matters: The ordinance formalizes the town’s approach to camping on public property and seeks to reduce legal risk by aligning local code with the state statute. Council members noted the town will continue to work with the county and the Homeless Trust to connect people with services rather than simply removing them from town property.
Next steps: The ordinance took effect on adoption; the town manager and sheriff’s office will coordinate enforcement logistics and outreach protocols moving forward.
