You Could Get Thrown In Jail For This in Niceville Now:

Don’t get caught napping on land owned by the city or county – it could cost you $500 and a 60-day stay in county jail.

Sleeping on public property in Niceville – and around much of Florida is illegal.

That’s because Niceville brought its ordinances into compliance with a new state law that took effect on October 1, 2024, which makes it illegal to sleep or camp on most public property. There are exceptions for city or county properties that are designated specifically for recreational camping.

City Council voted unanimously to align their policies with the state’s law, after a short discussion between Niceville Councilman Sal Nodjomian and City Manager David Deitch about whether or not the state’s new ordinance would prevent the city from allowing people to hunker down in city facilities overnight in the event of an emergency.

The city had the choice to pass the law, making the change or risk paying damages and attorney’s fees if a resident decided to sue the city for remaining out of compliance with state law.

Earlier in 2024, the United States Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in the City of Grants Pass V. Johnson that ordinances passed to prevent people experiencing homelessness from camping on public property did not violate those peoples’ Eighth Amendment rights under the United States Constitution.

The City of Niceville noted in its ordinance that it will task code compliance officers to enforce this rule and will provide a warning to people the officers believe violated the rule. From there, the city would escalate the issue to a trespassing misdemeanor charge.