As the sun rose Tuesday, Robert Robinson pulled himself from the sidewalk outside Fort Lauderdale’s bus depot. It’s where he’d slept — and become a violator of a new Florida anti-homelessness law.

Under a statute that took effect Tuesday, a new Florida anti-homelessness law dictates that it is now illegal in Florida to sleep on sidewalks, in parks, on beaches or in other public spaces — one of the strictest anti-homelessness measures in the nation.

“Where are they going to put all these people?” Robinson asked, pointing to several other homeless persons nearby. The 61-year-old former fence installer gathered his few clothes, toothpaste and a case of cat food he hoped to sell for $2 and loaded them onto the wheelchair he uses as a walker and wagon. “There aren’t enough bed spaces at the shelter.”

Fort Lauderdale and Florida’s other cities and counties only have three months to figure it out. Starting Jan. 1, residents, business owners and the state can sue municipalities they don’t think are doing enough. Under the law, local governments must enact ordinances to create, bolster and enforce programs to help get the homeless off the streets.

Florida estimates it has about 31,000 homeless people, though advocates say it’s likely an undercount. That’s a fraction of California and New York, but large majorities in the Legislature said this Florida anti-homelessness law was needed. Residents complain the homeless take over parks and sidewalks, threaten children, leave trash and urinate and defecate in public.

Strict Florida Anti-Homelessness Law Brings Threat of Lawsuits

“It’s our responsibility to deal with homelessness and that’s why we can’t wait any longer,” said Republican state Sen. Jonathan Martin, sponsor of this new Florida anti-homelessness law signed in March.

Gov. Ron DeSantis called the Florida anti-homelessness law “absolutely the right balance to strike.”

“We want to make sure we put public safety above all else,” he said.

But the threat of lawsuits under the statute has local officials worried.

“There will be quite a few enterprising attorneys out there who will use this as an opportunity to rake in tens of thousands of dollars, hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, adding that’s money that won’t be available to alleviate the problem.

Read the full article about Florida's strict anti-homelessness law by Terry Spencer and Kate Payne at The Associated Press.