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Washington Senate bill aims to prohibit use of hostile architecture preventing homeless camps (mynorthwest.com)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Senate Bill 6231 defines hostile architecture as “elements designed to restrict the use of public spaces by individuals experiencing homelessness.” (A PDF of the original bill can be viewed here.)

In the past, those elements have included fencing, large boulders and gravel. If the elements are erected specifically “to prevent people from sitting or lying at street” level, they would be prohibited.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago

the backlash already exists and already informs policy

I think you and I agree on this point, this is pretty much what I was saying with "the actual cruelty itself remains, as well as the system that produced and perpetuates the conditions of homelessness in the first place." I also re-read the bill to find "owned/operated by the city/county" where I previously misread something to the effect "within the city/county," and the correct reading does reduce my anxiety about backlash. And you're right, this would improve the sort-of "right to exist" in public spaces. Abhorrent was much too strong a word... More like... tepid.

I maintain the bill does not go nearly far enough, doing precisely nothing to address fundamental causes, but it might relieve some of the immense stress on those poor bastards, which is incontestably a good thing. I was wrong a moment ago, this is a "take your wins where you can get them" moment.