Local News

Homeless camp dismantled by authorities, lawsuit could now be filed

September 4, 2024

Citrus Couty is cracking down, criminalizing homelessness.

Donna Darwin A.K.A Donna Collins, a homeless woman who has been staying at a homeless camp located at 4765 Yale Lane in Hernando with several other homeless individuals, was forced to leave the property.

The property owner, who is now deceased, left the property to his son. The son permitted Donna to set up camp on the private property.

However, authorities, including Citrus County Code Enforcement, initiated court proceedings and said it didn’t matter if Collins had permission.

Code Enforcement claims that because there are no structures, electricity, or running water individuals cannot occupy the private property where a tent had been erected.

Compliance Officer Alan C. Jonason filed paperwork with the county that deemed the property unsafe.

Authorities also started rumors that those who lived in the camp were heavy drug users. Those rumors were never proven.

Those in the camp said that they had been harassed from day one.

“Homelessness has become a crime in this state,” said Collins. “We haven’t bothered anyone. It is everyone else harassing us.”

The court threatened hefty fines and possibly jail time if those on the property did not leave.

Local churches stepped in and helped those on the property clean up and vacate before the deadline.

Those who helped said the camp was kept fairly neat and for the most part, the view was blocked from the street.

Many say the county had no grounds to evict because it is private property and Collins had permission. Authorities disagreed and moved forward with the legal proceedings.

The new law is only supposed to apply to homeless individuals who openly camp on public property, not private property.

Many say that Collins may now have a federal lawsuit against the County. A similar lawsuit was filed against the City of Ocala. The city lost that lawsuit.

Those evicted from the private property are now looking for a more secluded area in the woods and out of the public eye.