TAMPA — Florida’s attorney general is calling out the city of Winter Haven for its alleged lack of enforcement of public camping and sleeping laws against the community’s homeless population.
In a letter sent to city officials, Attorney General James Uthmeier says Winter Haven is in violation of Florida law when it comes to restricting public camping and sleeping. He included pictures, apparently taken by a concerned citizen, of those experiencing homelessness across the city of nearly 60,000 people.
Uthmeier says the problem has grown so much over recent months that the public spaces are “unusable.”
Bridget Engleman, executive director of the Homeless Coalition of Polk County, tracks the local homeless population.
“Last year, we had a total of 804 individuals counted in Polk County. Out of that, 311 were in emergency shelter, 263 were in transitional housing and there’s 230 that were unsheltered. Out of the 804, 27 were from Winter Haven, the City of Winter Haven,” said Engleman.
In response to the attorney general, Winter Haven police say they do enforce all applicable state, county and local regulations when it comes to the homeless but say last year only 1.4% of the more than 60,000 calls for service were for those experiencing homelessness.
They also point to their efforts, removing 25 encampments, and connecting unhoused people they encounter with available resources.
But those programs require funding, which Engleman says has been hard to come by.
“Last year our state funding did decrease. You know, the COVID money is no longer there, the home ARP money is no longer there. And, currently, the 2025 NOFO or notice of funding opportunities from Housing and Urban Development is currently paused,” Engleman said.
In his letter, AG Uthmeier highlighted the lack of designated public sleeping and camping sites in Polk County.
Engleman says that’s because of the state’s rigid requirements: 24-hour security, access to mental health and medical care, running water, bathrooms and moving the site every year.
It’s those high standards, and lack of state and federal funding for homeless support organizations, that Engleman says is preventing her organization from doing more.
“What we need is more affordable housing, more shelter, and more funding because the cycle is going to go around — it’s a vicious cycle. It’s going to go around, and there’s not going to be any ending to it,” said Engleman.
In their response, Winter Haven police said, “The act of homelessness, or being unhoused, is not in and of itself a crime.”
Police say that when they find violations they “are addressed immediately,” but, they say, “Unhoused persons may be in and utilize public spaces, just as any other citizen, during the hours those spaces are open.”
The AG is asking the city to respond to his letter within five business days and to provide all applications to the department of children and families to designate public spaces like these for public camping and sleeping.
Andy Cole
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