Ileana Napoleoni has lost nearly everything. She’s been living on the streets of downtown Miami since early this year. Most of her possessions, including her daughter’s ashes, were picked up by the city during a street cleanup operation over the summer. What remains of her belongings is now spread across three backpacks. Napoleoni, 63, fears one of the few things she has left — her freedom — is at stake.
As of Tuesday, counties and cities across Florida are required to enforce a statewide prohibition on public camping and sleeping. For many like Napoleoni, this means the situation will become even more uncertain. The new law comes at a time when cities and states across the U.S. have been struggling to address a rise in homelessness, but Florida’s solution was simple: outlaw it.
Unsure of what’s to come, Napoleoni, like many others, is left hoping for the best. She will sleep wherever she can, trying to stay out of sight, and will likely find a new resting spot every few nights to avoid detection. The question on many minds is: is it illegal to sleep in public places in Florida now? For Napoleoni and countless others, the answer is yes — and the implications of this law will be felt deeply in cities like Miami
