Putnam County Homelessness Solutions Coalition

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  • After Grants Pass: Why Putnam County Needs the Gloria Johnson Act

    The landscape of homelessness advocacy changed on June 28, 2024, when the Supreme Court’s Grants Pass decision allowed for the punishing of homeless individuals even when no alternative shelter is available. In response, the Putnam County Homelessness Solutions Coalition is working to introduce a new path forward: The Gloria Johnson Act—a model policy named after Gloria Johnson of Grants Pass, Oregon, and now being adopted by communities nationwide—offers a blueprint for protecting human dignity while creating smarter solutions.

    What is the Gloria Johnson Act?

    Our draft of the “Gloria Johnson Anti-Cruelty to Floridians Experiencing Homelessness Act” is designed to protect the basic human rights of our neighbors while creating a smarter, more cost-effective system for our county.

    Key Pillars of Our Proposed Act:

    • Decriminalizing Survival: The Act would eliminate counter-productive criminal penalties for “life-sustaining activities”—like sleeping or resting—when adequate alternative indoor space is not available.
    • Defining “Adequate” Shelter: We aren’t just talking about a mat on a floor. Our Act defines adequate space as accessible, at no charge, and able to accommodate disabilities, possessions, and even pets or partners.
    • Shifting Resources to Solutions: By decriminalizing rest, our local government can redirect resources from law enforcement and jailing toward addressing the root causes of poverty.
    • Legal Protection: Under the Act, someone cannot be punished for sleeping outside if the government cannot prove that safe, accessible shelter was actually available to them.

    A Proven Approach

    The Gloria Johnson Act isn’t just a good idea—it’s a proven model. Since early 2025, versions of the Gloria Johnson Act have been introduced in 11 different state legislatures (including California and Maryland). A federal version—the Housing Not Handcuffs Act—was reintroduced in Congress by Rep. Pramila Jayapal in 2025, using very similar language.

    The core principle of the “Right to Rest” has already been signed into law in Rhode Island (2012), Connecticut (2013), and Illinois (2013), where Homeless Bill of Rights protections have reduced criminalization while protecting constitutional rights. Putnam County has the opportunity to join this growing movement and be a leader in Florida.

    Why This Matters for Putnam County

    Fining and jailing people who have nowhere to go doesn’t stop homelessness; it only creates a vicious cycle of debt and criminal records that makes finding a home even harder. We believe in Housing, not Handcuffs.

    Be a Part of the Solution

    We are currently working to bring this draft to the attention of our legislators. Your support and your voice are what will turn this draft into a reality for Putnam County.

    Join us at our next meeting:

    Date: February 20th, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

    Location: First Baptist Church of Palatka

    Can’t attend? Here’s how you can help:

    • Contact your Putnam County Commissioner and urge them to support the Gloria Johnson Act (template drafts available to download on the Gloria Johnson Act page )
    • Share this message with your neighbors, faith community, and on social media

  • Strategy and Sustainability: Building a Permanent Foundation

    In recent weeks, the conversation surrounding the challenges facing our homeless neighbors in Putnam County has grown louder. We see the posts, we hear the frustrations, and we acknowledge the outcry. It is no secret that the current system is fragmented and, in many ways, broken.

    However, at the Putnam County Homelessness Solutions Coalition, we believe that identifying a problem is only the first step. The second—and most vital—step is building a permanent foundation to fix it.

    1. From Awareness to Action

    Awareness is important, but awareness alone doesn’t build state-compliant shelters or secure legislative protections like the Gloria Johnson Act. Our mission is to move past the “venting” phase and into the “infrastructure” phase. We’re not here to simply talk about how bad things are; we’re here to coordinate the data, the resources, and the people required to make homelessness in Putnam County rare, brief, and non-recurring.

    2. The Power of Many vs. The Burden of One

    True advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. We recognize that everyone has different capacities to give. Whether you can give forty hours a week or forty minutes a month, your contribution to this Coalition is valued.

    We are intentionally building a system that does not depend on any one person being available 24/7. Effective advocacy isn’t about who shouts the loudest or who works the longest hours—it’s about how well we work together. By organizing into a Coalition, we ensure that the mission continues even when individuals need to step back to focus on their own lives and families. We’d rather work smart together than burn out alone.

    3. Professionalism is our Foundation

    To win the support of local officials, business leaders, and state partners, we must operate with a level of professionalism that reflects the seriousness of our mission. This means:

    • Focusing on Solutions: We focus on solutions, using our platforms to build up rather than simply tear down.
    • Respecting Capacity: We welcome partners with busy schedules, knowing that a single hour of expert coordination can be more impactful than a week of uncoordinated effort.
    • Unified Voice: We’re a Coalition because twenty voices pulling in different directions don’t build bridges—they build chaos.

    Join Us in Building Solutions

    If this approach resonates with you and you’re ready to contribute to sustainable change in Putnam County, we invite you to join the Coalition. We are currently welcoming new Partners who share our commitment to strategic, data-driven solutions. Joining the Coalition means gaining access to our Partner Portal, receiving real-time updates on local policy, and having a seat at the table as we coordinate resources for Putnam County. Whether you represent an organization serving the homeless, a faith-based group, a business, or are an individual advocate, your unique expertise is needed. To get started, visit our Join the Coalition page to submit your information or email us at PutnamHomelessSolutions@gmail.com with questions.

    Not ready to become a Partner? You can still make a difference. Visit our Volunteer page to join our Rapid Response team to contribute your time and skills to support our mission.

    Looking Ahead to February 20th

    Our upcoming second monthly Coalition meeting on the 20th is where these principles become practice. We invite those who are ready to move beyond the frustration and into the work of building a real, sustainable solution for Putnam County. The meeting will be at First Baptist Church of Palatka from 12 pm to 1:30 pm. 

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