Homeless Crisis

Orange County leaders are grappling with the financial implications of House Bill 1365, set to take effect in October. The new law mandates that counties and cities prevent people from camping and sleeping in public spaces, instead providing designated areas for the homeless.

In one week, the city of Melbourne cleaned up 17 tons of trash at a huge homeless camp.

Sanford Mayor Art Woodruff said a bill sitting on Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk to ban camping in public is unfair. DeSantis could sign off on a crackdown on public camping any day now. He backed the bill, and both state legislature chambers gave it the green light.

Florida lawmakers are expected to vote on a bill Friday that would ban camping in public spaces. Some critics of the bill say it targets homeless people. House members debated the bill on the house floor Thursday.

A new bill proposed to help with Florida's homeless crisis is backed by Governor DeSantis, but is under scrutiny by some homeless advocates.

In Apopka, Tiffany Miller has found temporary shelter in a tent along State Road 436, facing eviction due to being on private property.

An increasing number of Central Florida students leave school uncertain of where they’ll spend the night.

Homelessness is surging on the Space Coast. New data shows it’s up 15% since last year.

Residents in Titusville, Florida are worried about a new housing development that they believe could have adverse impacts on their neighborhood.

Matthew’s Hope in Winter Garden says since the pandemic, they saw a 500% jump in the number of people using their services. Then it all leveled off. Now it’s skyrocketing again all because of the rental crisis.

Just three months into the school year, OCPS leaders say student homeless numbers are on par with where the district ended last year. OCPS says it’s working to provide physical support through donations of clothes and shoes and also trying to help students mentally cope with it all.