- Panhandling is illegal in Florida but homeless trespassing is big business
- Local police are to arrest homeless for trespassing
- Average trespassing is a 30-60 day jail sentence
- The average cost to house homeless in jail is $70 to $130 dollars a day.
Panhandling is illegal in Florida and the homeless population influx is swept under the rug when you’re trying to make a city “look good” for when the tourists come for the season.
Income disparity is strong in this cozy 9 1/2 square mile coastal port town that has properties ranging from the 10’s of millions to this 20 year old tent encampment.
One homeless man says he is essentially being evicted from the woods behind the sign above.
It’s Tuesday midday and around 95 degrees in this lazy town. A homeless man is looking for some shade and a place to relax.
After passing out the local police were alerted then responded and are here to “save” the day.
Looks good on the outside but what’s really going here? A long time resident of Stuart let me in on how this town (and how a lot of towns) with similar income disparities arrest the homeless frequently.
This cycle continues with no solution in sight.
Bill ‘the drummer’ shares a glimpse of what is going on. He explains the hot and tired homeless man was actually on private property.
As Bill states, “if you put your foot on that property it is trespassing and a 30-60 day jail sentence”
It seems, not only does the taxpayer have to pay for the police officers, the ambulance, and any court costs for judges and lawyers. The kicker is the actual cost to house the arrested homeless. For one day it is anywhere from $70 to $130 dollars a day.
If we calculate that average for a month at $100 a day, that bill is $3000 dollars a month for each trespasser. The taxpayers of Stuart are footing these bills.
One might think that there is a solution that could be cheaper and more efficient to house these homeless “trespassers” who stop to sit or lay down.
