The state of Florida is making efforts to disband a community of sex offenders living under a bridge that includes a gym, kitchen, living room and two dogs.

The small community of men has lived under the Julia Tuttle Causeway for more than a year. Their current financial and legal condition is making it very hard for them to find a new home. However, authorities are urging them to search new homes and have set a dead line for it.

"We're urging them to find a residence. We want them to be able to reintegrate into society," said Gretl Plessinger, a spokeswoman for the Florida Corrections Department. "We are hopeful that if we push them, they will be able to find a residence that's better."

Since the due date was set, five of the 19 men managed to find new homes and one of them has gone missing, a reflection of the angst over the order.

The sexual offenders were given a list of possible locations where to look for new homes. Initially, the sexual offenders were given 72 hours to find a new house, but the department spokes person said the do date was set only to motivate the men to start looking.

"We're trying to be proactive, give the offenders time to find a place," Plessinger said.

Corrections officials counted about 50 homeless sex offenders throughout all the state of Florida. About 9 of them lived under the Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale until authorities evicted them last month.