this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2023
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What's more important: a place to live or a recreation area?
Our unhoused neighbors have no choice but to live in a public space because society has denied them any private space to live.
People in need using the commons for their needs isn't a tragedy. It's the reason commons exist.
The tragedy is that shelter isn't considered a human right.
In my view it's not about accessing the recreation area - I'd rather that space be used temporarily for occupancy while we fix up society. Having said that, ad-hoc homeless camps have very real safety risks associated with them. Often crime rates near these camps rise, and it's reasonable for residents to also want to feel safe in their neighborhoods.
What we need is funding for real shelters with real long-term addiction and crisis counseling support. Blindly saying "any and all public spaces should be fair use for homeless camps" is not helpful to anyone.
Oh boy. You go spend a night in a homeless shelter. Seriously. Then say that.
Its a bit silly to say crime rates around these camps go up, as they usually are illegal to begin with. Like marijuana, criminalizing otherwise benign things still brings other criminal elements.
Break-ins, assaults, rape, robbery. You know. Benign things. Also shit and needles everywhere.
So the obvious solution is create conditions for rampant desperation, criminalize despair, shove undeserved out of sight. The etymology of “bedlam,” comes to mind.
There are many better solutions than "let them camp".
Obviously; but the only ones being implemented on a wide basis in the US OS that, and what I said.
Those would be the other criminal elements. Drug dealers have had these issues too.
They probably need services too, then.
It's important that people don't feel threatened just to move in the public spaces. That includes homeless and those with homes.
Thank you because I’m thinking the world is abundant, there is enough to provide more than the basics for everyone, but some humans are insatiable.