‘Literally nowhere else they can go’: Homeless camp shutdown leaves people with few options
Another homeless camp is planned to be bulldozed leaving more registered citizens and others homeless in Brevard County. A search of FDLE records showed only two persons with a Transient status in Brevard County because the County is registering such camp locations as a permanent address, which also requires the camp residents to use that property address on their Driver’s License as their Permanent Residence.
Some camp residents were told that the land owner does not want the camp residents to trespass on the property located on Highway 192 near Melbourne. FLORIDA TODAY wasn’t immediately able to locate who owns the property to confirm they made this request to the County, or determine why it had been used as an official address for the camp residents and why that had now changed.
At least seven of individuals have GPS monitors registered to the site that required them to return there during the evening— putting them in an awkward legal position. If they stay, they could face trespass charges. If they leave, they would be in violation of their probation.
You can read the full story with comments from attorney Jessica Travis of DefendBrevard.com, and Bonnie Hamilton, a reentry specialist with the Reentry Center of Brevard. The sheriff’s office did not respond when FLORIDA TODAY attempted to reach them Wednesday.
FAC has a representative on the Brevard County Re-Entry Task Force and chairs the sub-committee for Registered Citizens. The next meeting is Friday Dec 10 from 3:00-5:00 PM at the Brevard County Government Building (Florida Room, Building C, 3rd Floor, 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera FL 32940.
If you are a family member, advocate, housing provider or have an interest in participating on the sub-committee for Registered Citizens, please contact membership@floridaactioncommittee.org or leave message at 833-273-7325 Option 1.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the location and Brevard Exclusion Ordinance, Registered Citizens cannot attend the meeting at that location. You will be notified of a separate meeting location to discuss the sub-committee goals.
This is a perfect story for me to add this line I recently saw in a news post. Although it was not about us specifically, it IS supposed to apply to us.
“In the U.S. and much of the liberal West, the concept of the “rule of law” is vital to a properly functioning society—the idea (at least in theory) that the law is impartial, independent, and applied evenly and consistently to all, and that it serves to protect the innocent, “.
{{{{They gave people there 20 minutes to grab what they could before bringing in the trucks and clearing it out. }}}}}
https://billshaner.substack.com/p/options-were-offered
Sad that invasive species have more rights than Florida registrants. Stories like this are embarrassing and ridiculous that homeless is okay and while claiming it makes communities safe. Well if you take stability out of a person’s life there’s not much to live for except suicide or crime.
How much influence do the Books have in Brevard County?
I am sure that they would have loved to have driven the dozers themselves.
Instead of wondering, put on your thinking cap then go online and look at Ron’s client list.