Section 125.0231, Florida Statutes, created by House Bill 1365 , Unauthorized Public Camping and Sleeping, directs the Florida Department of Children and Families to certify designated county public camping and sleeping site certification requests, and monitor site compliance following certification.
The Florida Department of Children and Families' Office on Homelessness developed this webpage to facilitate counties in submitting certification requests for designated public camping or sleeping sites. This page provides necessary resources to guide counties through the certification process.
Counties seeking to designate public camping or sleeping sites must follow a structured process to ensure compliance with state law. This process includes submitting the required documentation, which will be reviewed by DCF within 45 days. Below is a step-by-step guide to the certification process:
Step 1: Review the Public Encampment Certification Checklist .
Step 2: If applicable, review the Financial Hardship Checklist .
Step 3: Prepare your documentation based on the checklists.
Step 4: Submit your certification request using the form located here .
Upon submission, the designated point of contact will receive a confirmation email, and the request will be reviewed by our team. The designated point of contact can expect to hear back within 10 days if additional information is required, and a final decision will be communicated within 45 days.
Counties seeking to designate public camping or sleeping sites must follow a structured process to ensure compliance with state law. This process includes submitting the required documentation, which will be reviewed by DCF within 45 days. Below is a step-by-step guide to the certification process:
The site must not be contiguous with residential properties and must not negatively impact the safety of children, or property values or safety and security of surrounding properties.
Only counties can submit certification requests. If the site is within a municipality, a majority vote of the municipality's governing body is also required.
For more detailed questions, visit our full FAQ page.
For further assistance, please contact the Florida Department of Children and Families' Office on Homelessness at Homelessness@myflfamilies.com