FAC Mentioned in Article: ‘Like lepers’: New state law gives sex offenders nowhere to go in South Florida

Many might ask, “Why should anyone care about South Florida’s sex offenders?” But the issue is more complicated than it appears.

Kenny spent his first couple nights out of prison sleeping in a Walgreens parking lot on North Federal Highway. It’s one of the few places he can legally spend the night after serving his time.

The Hollywood native in his 50s still considers himself better off than some. His crime hasn’t prevented him from holding down a job, which he needs to afford the camper he now lives out of while confined to a narrow strip of Broward County each night between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., along with dozens of other men. Others in Kenny’s position told New Times they’re essentially being forced to live in nocturnal parking lot homeless encampments.

Their circumstances are the result of a patchwork of residency restrictions that leave registered sex offenders with few legal places to live, even after they’ve completed their prison sentences.

The debate has gained new urgency after lawmakers enacted additional restrictions over the summer and a federal lawsuit filed by the Florida Action Committee (FAC), a group that aims to inform the public about the sex offender registry, challenged several residency requirements as unconstitutional.

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