ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — The government of Altamonte Springs is looking to implement an ordinance to prohibit overnight camping in public spaces.

Officials say they have received complaints about homelessness in the city, but leaders at one church, which has acted as a resource for the community for more than 30 years, say more could be done to help.

What You Need To Know

  • Some Altamonte Springs residents are sharing their thoughts on a proposed ordinance that would prohibit camping overnight in public places
  • Hebert Bouey, food pantry program manager at Apostolic Pentecostal Church, says more housing, specifically shelters, are needed to help the homeless
  • The proposed ordinance gives authorities the right to remove anyone camping on public grounds, but only if shelters have space

Turkeys, boxes of macaroni and cheese, fresh produce and more are filled to the top of boxes as cars drove through the mobile food pantry at the Apostolic Pentecostal Church.

Pantry program manager Herbert Bouey says he works every chance he gets to make sure his community is fed. After the church experienced a fire in their food pantry in August, Bouey said operations still went on as normal.

“We had the fire that night and we were here with a mobile drop that morning," he said. "We don’t stop."

With a line of cars that usually wraps around the block, Bouey said the food pantry holds a mobile food drive at least once a month, but gives out food on a daily basis. 

Some volunteers with the food pantry say when they first started, they helped about 100 families. The pantry now serves more than 2,000 families a month.

“Not enough, but we try to do what we can do," said church volunteer Jewel Simmons. "It’s never going to be enough, but we’re trying to always do more for the homeless or anybody who needs food,” said church volunteer Jewel Simmons.

Altamonte Springs city manager Frank Martz said the is city looking at ways to address the homeless population.

“Seminole County is a small county, and our cities are small cities, so it doesn’t make sense for everyone to have their own shelter,” said Martz.

With no shelter in place in the city, city officials say there are laws that prevent law enforcement from moving someone when homeless shelters are at full capacity.

Bouey said that’s the problem.

“It would have to be housing," he said. "If someone was able to provide a group home or some type of shelter, this community would be a lot better."