FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A candidate for Fort Lauderdale mayor has come up with a plan to house the homeless: Move them to the land around a pro soccer stadium.
Jim Lewis proposes making Chase Stadium — where Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF play — the site of a temporary homeless encampment.
Lewis says it’s irresponsible to keep delaying action. He told commissioners and the mayor today that the homeless camp has to go somewhere and the stadium site, located at 1350 NW 55th St. near Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, is as good a place as any.
“There’s nothing wrong with a big vacant lot. We’re only going to use a portion of it.,” Lewis said. “It’ll be out toward Commercial (Boulevard). We can put some portable showers in there and we can be compliant and compassionate, and give a place for people to go.”
Lewis said the team has been dragging its feet on a proposed park slated to be developed next to the stadium, which also came up during today’s meeting.
“We have 110 city parks in Fort Lauderdale,” Fort Lauderdale Commissioner John Herbst said. “I am telling anyone listening today, we will never have a homeless camp in a park — not now, not ever.”
Lewis also highlighted what city leaders are facing: a fast-approaching Oct. 1 deadline, when a new law goes into effect banning people from setting up camps or sleeping on public property.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law earlier this year. Counties or municipalities can designate areas for those who are unhoused to camp for up to a year, but such a plan would have to meet certain requirements and get approval from the state before it can be established.
This has prompted discussion and plenty of debate. Commissioner Steven Glassman said, “You can’t just have laws passed in Tallahassee and then let local governments say, ‘Well, figure it out.’”
Lewis added, “Not everybody in these situations is a drug addict, not everybody is an alcoholic, not everybody is mentally ill. But certainly, a lot of them are. And we, as a community, haven’t done anything for years.”
Also coincidentally on Tuesday’s agenda was the city’s draft ordinance officially prohibiting camping and sleeping on public property, outlining how officers should respond and what services should be offered before any arrests are made.
That’s expected to be voted on later in September.