Ron DeSantis condemned over Florida’s ‘draconian’ new anti-homelessness law

Fort Lauderdale mayor says legislation will provoke tsunami of lawsuits' but do nothing to help homeless crisis

A Florida law that criminalizes sleeping in public spaces and will take effect next month is expected to provoke a tsunami of lawsuits" but do nothing to alleviate the state's homelessness crisis, the mayor of Fort Lauderdale has warned.

Dean Trantalis says his city is scrambling to find a way of complying with the bill signed by the Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, in March, and which becomes law on 1 October, requiring municipalities with insufficient shelter capacity to establish encampments for unhoused persons.