Hillsborough County Sued for Punishing People Who Ask Drivers for Help
The Florida Justice Institute has filed a lawsuit against Hillsborough County against an ordinance that criminalizes panhandling.
Housing and Poverty
Press releases and earned media around FJI area of focus: Housing and Poverty
Housing and Poverty, Our Recent Work, Press Coverage, What We Do
FJI Lawsuit Says Miami’s Ban on Panhandling Hurts Free Speech
The Florida Justice Institute (FJI) and Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell LLP have filed a lawsuit against the City of Miami, challenging an ordinance that criminalizes panhandling. This law raises First Amendment concerns by targeting specific speech forms. With nearly 400 arrests made, the plaintiffs—Miami residents experiencing homelessness—argue that it fails to address poverty’s root causes. Discover how this case seeks to protect the rights of vulnerable communities and challenge poverty criminalization in Florida.
Blogs, Housing and Poverty, Newsroom
FJI and Advocates to Local Governments: Choose Housing Over Handcuffs
April 22, 2025— As local governments grapple with enforcement of a new state law banning people from sleeping in public spaces,
Housing and Poverty, News Releases, Our Recent Work, What We Do
FJI Pushes Cities Toward Housing, Not Arrests
April 8, 2025 Today, Southern Legal Counsel, the National Homelessness Law Center, the Southern Poverty Law center, and the Florida Justice Institute
Housing and Poverty, Our Recent Work, Press Coverage, What We Do
FJI Win Ends With Lake City Repealing Solicitation Ban, Paying Settlement
November 25, 2024 Following FJI’s lawsuit against a Lake City ordinance that prohibited standing, soliciting, or leafletting at certain intersections,
FJI Settles with Columbia County over Solicitation and Loitering Law
September 9, 2024 FJI has reached a settlement with Columbia County, resolving its lawsuit against the ordinance which prohibited solicitation
What Hurricane Andrew Taught Us About Compassion and Housing
Back in August 1992, Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida, displacing over 250,000 residents and upending the lives of those families in the region. People who once had the security of a home found themselves unhoused in the blink of an eye–victims of a natural disaster that seems to be happening more frequently today.
Final Order Issued In FJI’s Case Against Pompano Beach Ordinance
Following a bench trial, the District Court issued a final order in McDonald v. Pompano Beach, FJI’s long-running case against
FJI Sues Lake City Over Ordinance Restricting Requests for Donations at Intersections
The Florida Justice Institute has filed a lawsuit against the City of Lake City over ordinance that restricts requests for