Politicians have a nasty habit of trying to solve complex problems with one-size-fits-all solutions. If you only look at the title: homelessness, you only see one issue, but these are real people and no two are alike. The individuals are as complex and unique as in any other demographic. That said, sweeps like this aren’t done as an answer to homelessness, they’re done as an answer to homelessness in plain view–public intoxication and drug use, human waste, and endless litter. By moving camps away from businesses and neighborhoods, the city begins to thrive again. Yes, the problem still exists, it just exists elsewhere. That’s their goal, and they’ll spin it to make it sound like this is a win-win.
Our team wants to end homelessness. I’ve been there. The last thing I would do, though, is camp out on someone’s lawn, in their storefront, or anywhere else that would impede their ability to live their lives in peace. If your family were suddenly homeless, would you pitch tents in your neighbor’s front yard, smoke meth in their driveway, crap on their sidewalk, and then complain that it’s inhumane when they make you leave? Would you insist that your neighborhood HOA put your family up in an apartment? We make demands of them to better our lives while making their lives worse? How does that gain support for our cause? If businesses shut down and move away, or spend their profits on security instead of advertising, or if people are afraid to shop at their stores, the city loses tax revenue. That means they have less money to spend on things like low-income public housing and social services. This is the truth. This is the world we live in.