Where can you go if existing on public property is illegal?

Sleep is a pretty essential human function, right? You can die without it. Well in one city on Oregon that has more homeless people than beds, sleeping in public is illegal.

They obviously don’t own any property, so public property is the only space they are allowed to exist. If you’re not allowed to perform a function necessary for survival in any location… are you allowed to exist?

Also, since these are “civil” laws… (civil - [adjective]: courteous and polite) the punishments are fines, and not jail time. Just in case they thought they might be able to get a little help.

And the only thing more shocking than the decision, is the Supreme Court Justice who doesn’t understand what his job is.

“Why would you think that these nine people are the best people to judge and weigh those policy judgments?”

Real quote from the dystopia - “Why would you think that these nine [justices] are the best people to judge?”

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Northwest · M

Not an endorsement of the SCOTUS decision, but cities need to be able to regulate where the homeless should go, so they former can have options that improve the latter safety/health/improvement, while alleviating public concerns.

Handfull1 · 61-69, F

@Northwest but where do they go?

Aleve · 22-25, F

@Northwest Regulating where they can’t go doesn’t give them a place to go. Fining them only hurts them more. There are more homeless people than shelter beds in the city.

Northwest · M

@Aleve @Handfull1

but where do they go?

There may be some Red cities that want to drive them to the edge of town. Not what I meant.

There are some deep Blue cities, like Seattle. Austin, Portland, and cities in California, developing real solutions (public housing, shelters, etc. some brand new apartment buildings, not tents), but the legal questions are preventing them from making progress.

The current situation is untenable. Living under bridges, freeway shoulders, and streets is not improving their lives.

Handfull1 · 61-69, F

@Northwest I agree and most don’t want to be homeless. Until there are real solutions, fining them is insanity. From what I’ve read, jail is not in the mix so do these fines just accumulate like parking tickets? So when/if they ever get back on level ground, they owe fines and become homeless again? Don’t these judges have college degrees? Study finance of any nature?

ViciDraco · 41-45, M

@Northwest Honestly, homeless people being in public spaces is exactly what needs to happen.

The public SHOULD be concerned.

The public SHOULD be seeing these people.

You don't get real solutions by regulating that homeless people just go to places where they won't be seen and won't be a nuisance. The very fact that you have more homeless people than shelter beds should uncomfortable and it should be in people's faces.

Aleve · 22-25, F

@Northwest it’s not a question of whether or not it’s improving their lives. The question is how are they supposed to exist? What are they supposed to do tonight? In this particular city, there is no shelter space available right now. Is it legal to pull an all-nighter on a park bench? You could only do that for maybe a week before you’re dead.

Northwest · M

@Aleve

What are they supposed to do tonight?

Red cities will start ticketing people. How will they collect? Take them to jail? Fine. Drive them to the edge of town? They don't have the manpower.

Diotrephes · 70-79, M

@Aleve

it’s not a question of whether or not it’s improving their lives. The question is how are they supposed to exist? What are they supposed to do tonight? In this particular city, there is no shelter space available right now. Is it legal to pull an all-nighter on a park bench? You could only do that for maybe a week before you’re dead.

Homelessness is a complex issue with no easy solution. Anyone can end up homeles at any time. If it happened to you within the next hour, what do you think you could do about it?

When you see a homeless person do you offer to let the person stay with you? Are you willing to pay an extra $5,000 in taxes to help solve the problem? If not, why should anyone help you when you become homeless?

Aleve · 22-25, F

@Diotrephes If you don’t want to let them stay with you, or pay more taxes, then it can’t be illegal to sleep in public.

Diotrephes · 70-79, M

@Aleve

If you don’t want to let them stay with you, or pay more taxes, then it can’t be illegal to sleep in public.

Tell that to the control freaks and to the judges.