City of Gainesville Rolls Back Sex Offender Residency Restrictions
Effective immediately, the City of Gainesville has rolled back it’s sex offender residency restriction to fall inline with the State’s law. The change, which reduces the exclusion zone from 2500 feet to 1000 feet, was unanimously voted in favor of by the City Commission, who did the right thing when faced with a lawsuit brought by a registrant who was unable to live with his wife because their home was inside an exclusion zone.
For years, they lived apart, but when his health began to deteriorate and he could no longer live alone, the couple had enough and fought to live together so he could receive necessary care. The lawsuit was necessitated after their requests for an exemption to the ordinance were denied.
Here is a situation where the City Commission did the right thing. Hopefully other cities will follow. Congrats to the couple and the paralegal who assisted them. Congrats to all who posted comments online in support of the change (notably, nobody posted public comments in opposition). Congrats to the registrants in Gainesville who now have more housing options than they did this morning.
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That’s great News! Even though it’s not a complete victory, I would say that is a buy, not a super buy, but I’ll take it, chipping
away that brick a little @ a time… Congratulations to them forks that have better housing options. FDLE and this state needs to get it together and follow suit, that includes this country. After 28 years since my conviction, can’t wait for this registry to get abolished………
All we need is individuals in elected positions (and some in unelected) to show REASON and thank you Gainesville for doing just that!
So happy to read this. The Registry needs to go, but at least this city gets that increasing your homeless population is not helping anyone. They did the best they could and went to the state guidelines.
Outstanding work!! I left Gainesville due to the 2500 ft rule. Maybe now I can move back and have better opportunities.
Unless they have “rolled back, the restriction” to ZERO feet for persons convicted (not those who moved) before 2005, then they haven’t really rolled it back to the “state standard.”
Just to be clear, anyone whose sex offense occurred before the Gainesville ordinance was enacted in 2005 is exempt from the amended 1000 foot residency restriction.
Correct. Thanks for the clarification, Kyle!
May these 21st century ghettos eventually be entirely abolished, by the grace of providence!