KARLA MURTHY:

Sarasota is called "paradise" by the people who live here. It's become one of the top-rated places to retire. But like many cities around the country it's found itself in the middle of a debate for how to treat the growing number of people here living on the street.

There are more than 300 people in the city of Sarasota classified as "chronically homeless," meaning they've been on the streets for more than a year. All together there are about 1,400 homeless people in Sarasota County, an increase of nearly 70% since 2009.

After the lodging ordinance passed in 2005, the National Coalition for the Homeless declared Sarasota "the meanest city in the country." In 2011, the city removed benches from a park popular among homeless people.