LAKE WORTH BEACH — Kim Stokes lost her bid for a second term on the Lake Worth Beach City Commission in March, but that hasn't stopped her from trying to make a difference in her community, which has long been a comfort zone for the homeless population in Palm Beach County.
The last week of June, Stokes and her friend Brittney Merryweather decided to put on a rally to oppose the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to allow municipalities to criminalize sleeping in public spaces.
In preparation, Merryweather created T-shirts for people to wear that showcased slogans including “Housing not handcuffs” and “People need rest, not arrest.”
Recently, about 100 people, including several who are homeless, gathered in front of Lake Worth City Hall to voice their opinions on the decision that allows cities to arrest or fine the homeless, even if there aren't shelter alternatives.
“Every year I’m supposed to go out and celebrate the freedoms we have in this country as more and more are getting stripped away,” Stokes said. “I can’t (celebrate) how free we are when people are getting arrested for sleeping.”
The county has a significant homelessness problem. Today there are more than 2,100 people unhoused, nearly 300 more than there were in 2023, according to a Point-In-Time count, where volunteers and officers collected data, according to WPEC-TV.
The problem has been significant at John Prince Park in Lake Worth Beach, where many homeless people have traditionally camped out, creating what has been labeled "Tent City" in the past.
Stokes was a commissioner for about three years. During her time in office, she says, she met with Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network to put together a proposal on how to help homeless people in Lake Worth, a project which involved the city manager.
Although the plan had the potential to save lives, some people complained it was a duplication of services. That is false, Stokes says, and was part the reason behind the rally.
“This has been brought together just by a few of us concerned citizens,” she said “We are not attached to any specific organization. We agree with the opinion that sleeping is a biological necessity. If there’s nowhere to go, it is cruel and unusual to punish somebody for it.”
Although the 6-3 Supreme Court ruling does not require communities to enforce punitive measures against people who are unhoused, it does permit them to do so if they choose.
Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority, referring to an Oregon city at the center of the case.
“The city imposes only limited fines for first-time offenders, an order temporarily barring an individual from camping in a public park for repeat offenders, and a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail for those who later violate an order.”
In West Palm Beach, another city with a prominent homeless base, officials say they aren't sure how they will move forward with the latest ruling.
“West Palm Beach residents, business owners, and visitors deserve to enjoy public spaces that are clean, safe, and accessible to all. In light of this decision, the City is in the process of reviewing its existing ordinances to ensure that local policies are in alignment with the Supreme Court decision and State law that will be in effect on October 1, 2024,” a city spokesman wrote in an e-mail to The Post.
Where to go? No place to call home
Steven McCullough, 61, has been without a place to call home since 2007 and claims he has been punished by law enforcement because he is homeless.
“At first it was fine, but then the population grew and City Hall complained,” McCullough stated. “It seems like they have nothing better to do than mess with people who are just trying to live.”
McCullough went on to explain a June 9 incident when police accused him of assaulting another person, an allegation he claims was impossible because he was out of town that day.
According to McCullough, police left him alone alone after he showed his bus ticket, which corroborated his story. County records show nothing about that arrest. Although McCullough lamented the negative aspects of being homeless, he admitted he always manages to find something to eat.
“The homeless don’t go hungry here,” he said.
Previously:James, Warren defend West Palm's homeless assistance amid criticism of feeding ordinance
Palm Beach County churches have stepped forward to help with food
One reason for this is the generosity that can be found in the Lake Worth Beach community. One place that provides food is the New Life Zion Temple.
“It’s difficult, but churches are still trying to do their part,” said Pastor Melvin Pickney, who has been with New Life since 2014.
New Life provides feedings for the less fortunate on the first and third Wednesdays of every month. They used to hold them weekly, but funding no longer permits doing it so often. The church also had to change the location of where it served meals.
“We used to feed them in the park, but we didn’t want to run into trouble with the police,” Pinkney said. “I have seen people sometimes sleeping on the property and I get concerned because if someone gets hurt, the church will probably be liable. But how can you run someone homeless from the church?”
People pushing people away from spaces is an issue, though, one which homeless man Kyle VanEvery, 42, said he has experienced. He lost his job cleaning pools in January and has not been able to afford housing since.
VanEvery explains that people who sleep in the streets are everyday people who are just trying to survive and be free.
“I’ve been homeless off and on for the past five years,” he said. “Normally, I will be sitting in front of a store and even if I have just bought something, employees will come up and tell me to leave.”
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Wayne Washington contributed to this report.
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