Report: US cities passing more laws making homelessness a crime

[webfact]

Report: Cities passing more laws making homelessness a crime

By CATHY BUSSEWITZ and COLLEEN SLEVIN

 

HONOLULU (AP) — Cities across the country are enacting more bans on living in vehicles, camping in public and panhandling, despite federal efforts to discourage such laws amid a shortage of affordable housing, a new report said.

 

Denver, which ordered about 150 homeless people living on sidewalks to clear out their belongings Tuesday, was among four cities criticized for policies criminalizing homelessness in a report by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, an advocacy group aiming to prevent people from losing their homes.

 

The other cities listed in its "hall of shame" are in Hawaii, Texas and Washington state.

 

People in Denver chanted, "No handcuffs. Give us homes," as they packed up their belongings when police arrived. As they piled shopping carts high, a jumble of items cluttered the area: a banana, a paperback copy of Shakespeare and a pair of construction boots.

 

Many cities with increasing home prices have been struggling with homelessness, including Denver and Honolulu, which were reprimanded for an anti-camping law and ban on sitting or lying on sidewalks, respectfully.

 

"These laws are unconstitutional and bad public policy," Maria Foscarinis, the center's executive director, said in a phone call with reporters. "Homelessness remains a national crisis across the country. It's fueled by the growing lack of affordable housing and the shrinking safety net."

 

The report, which was based on a review of policies enacted by 187 cities over a decade, said bans on living in vehicles increased by 143 percent. Those laws can be particularly devastating because they often lead to vehicle impoundment, and people can lose all of their belongings, disrupting their ability to work or attend school, Foscarinis said.

 

In Denver, authorities had given notice that homeless people had to move their things. While some packed up and left, others resisted, so the city gave them more time, said Julie Smith, a spokeswoman for the human services department. She said the city wants to help them go to shelters and get other services.

 

Bennie Henley, an Army veteran who moved to Denver two weeks ago from Kansas to get treatment at the Veterans Administration hospital, said he prefers sleeping on an advertising banner rolled out on the sidewalk rather than in a shelter. He showed a rash on his arm that he thinks came from bedbugs in a shelter.

 

"I don't like being crowded up like that," said Henley, sitting on a swivel office chair on the sidewalk and leaning on a cane.

The report said Denver forces thousands of people to dismantle camps despite a waiting list for subsidized housing.

 

City spokeswoman Amber Miller called the report's findings inaccurate, saying the center relied on local advocacy groups with incorrect information. She said Denver's priority is helping people find assistance.

 

"We have increased outreach workers and paired them with police patrols, expanded day and night shelter, created 250 units of permanent supportive housing and launched a day work program," Miller said in a statement.

 

Honolulu was criticized for what the report called aggressive enforcement of its sit-lie ban. The group said the city has issued more than 16,000 warnings to people violating the ban since it was enacted in Waikiki in 2014.

 

But Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell's spokesman Jesse Broder Van Dyke said the report fails to mention that since the sit-lie law took effect in September of 2014, officers have issued 21,630 warnings and made only 27 arrests after a public education and warning period.

 

He also said over the last two years Honolulu has helped house more than 1,000 people who were experiencing homelessness, including over 860 veterans.

 

The report also targeted Dallas and Puyallup, Washington. Dallas was criticized for issuing thousands of citations for sleeping in public, and Puyallup, for making it illegal to camp, panhandle or sit and lie down in parts of the city, despite lacking adequate space in an emergency shelter.

 

Officials from those two cities didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

 

The report called several such policies unconstitutional. The group said panhandling is protected by free-speech rights and preventing sleeping in public could be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

___

Slevin reported from Denver.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-11-16

[nausea]

Move on. NIMBY. It's the same problem you get with refugees, once you allow them to settle you get a camp developing, and everyone heads for it. Read George Orwell DAOIPAL, keep them moving. 

[jmd8800]

Ahh yes. Criminalize poverty and homelessness. Then you can put the poor and the homeless in prison where they work for pennies on the dollar.

 

See: stocks of for profit prisons

[siam2007]

18 minutes ago, nausea said:

Move on. NIMBY. It's the same problem you get with refugees, once you allow them to settle you get a camp developing, and everyone heads for it. Read George Orwell DAOIPAL, keep them moving. 

 

wow great !

 

I am sure HITLER would have made you part of his team !

http://www.wnd.com/2005/04/29625/

 

[zaphod reborn]

Every time the states and cities try to pass these laws and ordinances, the courts knock them down.  There's no way to draft these laws without being unconstitutionally vague.  Even the Trumpster can't change this through his appointments.

[grumbleweed]

2 hours ago, zaphod reborn said:

 Even the Trumpster can't change this through his appointments.

Trump would probably declare them fair game and declare a hunting season

 

[bannork]

2 hours ago, siam2007 said:

 

wow great !

 

I am sure HITLER would have made you part of his team !

http://www.wnd.com/2005/04/29625/

 

He's being sarcastic, anyone who quotes Orwell's 'Down and out in.....' is not right wing. 

[jcsmith]

If they ban homelessness where do they expect people to go? It's not like people WANT to be homeless.

[Emster23]

Which French writer said, more or less "The law in it's infinite fairness punishes rich and poor alike for sleeping under bridges"?

[edwinchester]

Very sad the amount of hatred so many privileged and powerful people have of those far less fortunate than themselves.

[williamgeorgeallen]

downward spiral. low interest rates drive up property prices. boom bust cycle follows. there are enough empty houses to house all the homeless people in america 3 times over. instead of bailing out the home owners they bailed out the banks. now they want to make it illegal to be homeless, america does not seem to care much for its people.

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, jcsmith said:

If they ban homelessness where do they expect people to go? It's not like people WANT to be homeless.

 

Ban homelessness, ban crime, ban poverty, ban wars, ban injustice, ban dishonesty.

 

Wow - that was easy. Just ban it and solve it. 

[Baerboxer]

26 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

Very sad the amount of hatred so many privileged and powerful people have of those far less fortunate than themselves.

 

Indeed Edwin.

 

The poor and homeless are now an embarrassment to the rich. Something they want to exploit but really not see about their beautiful world.

[connda]

Pretty soon there will a return to debtor prisons and poor houses. 

[dunroaming]

Just shoot them all.  I am sure that will be the message from Trump and his boys.  Welcome to the new world!

[connda]

2 hours ago, jcsmith said:

If they ban homelessness where do they expect people to go? It's not like people WANT to be homeless.

They need to go to homeless shelters.  You know, the ones that are full so that you can only sleep on the street, which is illegal.  Catch 22.

[jmd8800]

last I heard the people are broke. governments are broke. banks and corporations are sitting on trillions of $ in cash.

 

Who best to solve the problem?

[dunroaming]

19 minutes ago, jmd8800 said:

last I heard the people are broke. governments are broke. banks and corporations are sitting on trillions of $ in cash.

 

Who best to solve the problem?

 

Don't forget the trillions of dollars owed to the Chinese!

[blazes]

1 hour ago, jmd8800 said:

last I heard the people are broke. governments are broke. banks and corporations are sitting on trillions of $ in cash.

 

Who best to solve the problem?

 

 

Jaime Dimon's name springs to mind, but even he had second thoughts about becoming Treasury Secretary and having to preside over the coming crash in the financial system.

[Grubster]

4 hours ago, jcsmith said:

If they ban homelessness where do they expect people to go? It's not like people WANT to be homeless.

Yes many do want to be homeless, I would guess 30% in america.

[sekmet]

"No handcuffs, give us homes." 

 

Hey ,  can I get free stuff, too?

[ilostmypassword]

17 minutes ago, sekmet said:

"No handcuffs, give us homes." 

 

Hey ,  can I get free stuff, too?

I think they would settle for no handcuffs.  Apparently, you think it's okay to make homelessness a crime.

[Trouble]

Anyone who has lived around these "homeless" people sleeping on the streets, knows it is not higher home prices/rents that is keeping them on the streets. Most of the people I have seen in Hawaii and Los Angeles couldn't afford a place if rents were half of what they are in reality.  For many, not all, it is a way of life.  In Hawaii they had literally taken over one very popular park/beach in Honolulu making it difficult for tourists and residents to use it. Free food was furnished for a while daily by the Hari Krishnas.  Why get a job when you can lounge around all day, do some panhandling and get fed a meal too.  They all somehow afford their cigarettes, pet dogs, etc.  It just becomes a way of life that is easier for them.  Downtown Los Angeles has camps full of these people.  Many find life easier than working and living like the rest of us. That's a choice for some, an unfortunate turned of events for others.  Don't know the solution but I certainly don't want them camping in front of my house. Move them along and off public streets and walkways.  They will find another spot. Like the article said some don't want to be in shelters.   Cities should try and help those that want help and push the others along.  Offer the alternative of something and those that don't take it move along.  Another problem that is not going to change is the number of people who just are not 100% upstairs.  

[Ulysses G.]

Some homeless do not want homes, but many do. However, rents are so expensive that they can not afford to pay them and have money for food and other expenses. They sleep on the streets instead. 

In my younger days, there were always affordable places, but it is not that way anymore. Someone working full time at minimum wage would have to spend almost their whole paycheck for a place to sleep. The system really is unfair.

[Andaman Al]

4 hours ago, dunroaming said:

Just shoot them all.  I am sure that will be the message from Trump and his boys.  Welcome to the new world!

You missed a bit of the message, 'just shoot them all - but make them pay for the bullet first'!

[HerbalEd]

12 hours ago, nausea said:

Move on. NIMBY. It's the same problem you get with refugees, once you allow them to settle you get a camp developing, and everyone heads for it. Read George Orwell DAOIPAL, keep them moving. 

Moving to where? Oh yeah, out of your sight, out of mind.

[dunroaming]

Things are rarely black and white and there are a myriad of reasons why people find themselves homeless. We can all quote from stories of homelessness but don't judge what you don't know!

[Ahab]

As a current resident of Honolulu the situation here is out of control. Many of the "homeless" do not want to live anywhere but on the streets and refuse help from shelters etc..  It is illegal here for my dog to take a dump if I do not clean it up. There were similar issues with the homeless in and around key tourist areas and it appears some tourists prefer not to spend large amounts of money to go to a place where they have a good chance of stepping in human waste while taking a morning walk. That is so weird?

[Ahab]

25 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

Things are rarely black and white and there are a myriad of reasons why people find themselves homeless. We can all quote from stories of homelessness but don't judge what you don't know!

For the chronic homeless, roughly 30% suffer from some sort of mental illness, and another roughly 30% are addicted to some substance (drugs or alcohol).  Here in Honolulu if you really want help there is quite a bit available. Some people don't want help.

[Scott]

Shelters are not homes and are not designed as a home.   They are temporary places, with beds.  

 

If you have ever been unfortunate enough to be caught in a natural disaster, you may have a better understanding.