Gulfport City Council Workshop on Sleeping on Public Property - November 5, 2026

The Gulfport City Council held a workshop on November 5, 2026, to address ongoing complaints regarding individuals sleeping on public property and living in vehicles along the city's waterfront. The workshop featured a presentation from Directions for Living CEO April Lott, extensive public comment, and council discussion, but no formal votes were taken.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Residents and business owners overwhelmingly expressed frustration and fear. Lorraine Lights (Seabreeze Manor) stated the appearance was a "temporary encampment" hurting business. Lisa Kaufman detailed a violent crime involving a gun on her property and stated she could not return home due to safety fears. Scott Milkey and Joe Gunther (via Mike Hawkins) asked for overnight parking restrictions and consistent enforcement. Multiple speakers cited incidents of nudity, human waste, and the presence of individuals with extensive criminal records residing near a playground and preschool.
• Voices urging caution came from Courtney Prokoppis, who warned against demonizing people simply "existing" in public space. Zachary (St. Pete resident) urged residents to get to know the names and stories of the people before judging them.
• Expert Testimony: April Lott (Directions for Living) drew a sharp distinction between voluntary "van life" and "vehicle homelessness" caused by economic crisis and trauma. She positioned herself firmly against ordinances that force people out of their cars without housing options, arguing it leads to worse street homelessness. She recommended designated lots with services for recreational users and compassionate outreach for the homeless.
• Resident Bob Garafal emphasized that Gulfport lacks the facilities to support full-time dwelling and asked for equal enforcement of parking rules. April Thanus revived a suggestion of using city property (the neighborhood center) for a monitored parking area. Megan Fusco suggested linking parking fees to funding homeless services.

Discussion Items

• Mayor Love identified three distinct groups (homeless, boat dwellers, van lifers) and prioritized the needs of taxpaying residents. She reviewed other cities' regulations and expressed interest in a permit system with time limits, but opposed a complete ban on street parking for fear of displacement and negative impacts on designated drivers. She noted a perceived sense of entitlement from van lifers.
• Vice Mayor Shaw expressed deep sympathy for personal experiences with homelessness in her own family but firmly stated that immediate action was needed, such as overnight parking restrictions or timed parking regulations.
• Councilmember Webb strongly advocated for using Directions for Living to untangle the populations and strictly avoiding actions that would criminalize homelessness. She supported exploring a designated overnight lot with showers and fees but stated she is not ready to define specific ordinances.
• Councilmember Early backed deeper data collection and supported the exploration of a designated lot with restroom and shower facilities to mitigate issues like public lewdness.
• City Manager O'Reilly cautioned that a designated lot faces significant legal hurdles and costs due to state statutes and risks becoming a nuisance. He noted that daytime lifestyle issues (laundry, litter) are harder to regulate than overnight sleeping alone.
• City Attorney Salzman highlighted enforcement difficulties, stating that blanket restrictions cannot easily distinguish between the vulnerable and the defiant, and that background checks cannot be done without cause.

Key Outcomes

• No formal ordinance was passed. The workshop was strictly for discussion and direction-setting.
• Consensus to gather data: Council directed the City Manager and City Attorney to work closely with Directions for Living to conduct a demographic assessment of the vehicle dwellers in the waterfront area to better distinguish between the vehicle homeless and van lifers.
• Consensus to explore city property: Council agreed to investigate the feasibility of using city-owned land (e.g., near the 49th Street Neighborhood Center) for a designated overnight parking area, fully acknowledging the significant legal, financial, and community hurdles.
• Next Steps: The City Manager and Attorney will research the costs, legal requirements, and enforcement mechanisms for potential designated lots, permitting systems, and time limits. The dialogue on drafting specific ordinances is ongoing, and residents were urged to continue contacting their council members.