Public Camping/Sleeping Complaints

TO REPORT AN INCIDENT OF PUBLIC CAMPING OR SLEEPING, 

PLEASE CALL (954) 764.HELP (4357)


Unauthorized Public Camping and Public Sleeping
The City of Wilton Manors and Wilton Manors Police Department are committed to ensuring we provide you and our greater community excellent service. Public camping and sleeping by individuals is prohibited by Florida law. The City of Wilton Manors remains committed to ensuring that we are responsive to incidents of this nature, while simultaneously exhibiting compassion for those who may be in need of services. If you see incidents of unlawful public camping or sleeping, please contact the regional communications dispatch center non-emergency phone number at (954) 764-HELP (4357), and an officer(s) will be dispatched to the location to handle the matter. Please answer all questions asked of you by the call taker to ensure an optimal response by our officers.

What is Public Camping or Sleeping?
The City of Wilton Manors approved Resolution 24-131 on November 26th, 2024. This resolution indicates that the Wilton Manors Police Department may enforce Florida House Bill 1365/Florida Statute Section 125.0231 and Broward County Ordinance 2024-37 which prohibits counties and municipalities from authorizing or otherwise allowing individuals to regularly sleep or camp on public property, at public buildings, or on public rights-of-way within their jurisdictions. The prohibitions against camping or sleeping on public property do not apply when the Governor has declared a state of emergency or when local officers have declared a local state of emergency pursuant to FSS 870.

The bill authorizes counties and municipalities to designate public property for public camping or sleeping by majority vote. Before use, such designated property must be certified by the Department of Children and Families that the local government and the property meet certain requirements. A designated property may not be used continuously for longer than 1 year and, except for properties in fiscally constrained counties that make certain findings, must meet specified minimum standards and procedures. The Department of Children and Families may inspect the property and recommend decertification if requirements for the designation are no longer being met. 

I reported an incident of public camping/sleeping, and the person(s) is still there. How do I submit a complaint?
If you have previously reported an unauthorized public camping/sleeping incident, and you feel we have not addressed or resolved the issue, you may submit a complaint to our City. Complaints are automatically forwarded to the police department who is charged with conducting an inquiry into these complaints, and resolving the incident of public camping/sleeping in alignment with the standards of Florida law. To submit a complaint about an unresolved public camping/sleeping incident you feel we have not addressed, click HERE to be directed to our online complaint form.  A member of our team will contact you in the days following your submission to discuss the issues in greater detail. We thank you for your assistance!

Public Camping/Sleeping Online Complaint Form
To submit a complaint about an unresolved public camping/sleeping incident you feel we have not addressed, click HERE Version OptionsPublic Camping/Sleeping ComplaintsHeadline to be directed to our online complaint form.