Now, if someone is lucky enough to get a shelter bed for the night, there's no guarantee they'll get one the next night. Shelters require people to leave in the morning and allow people back in during the evening, often on a first come, first serve basis.
When the guarantee of indoor shelter is so unpredictable, most resort to options that are more dangerous, but more certain. Such an encampments. So when Newsom enacts large scale sweeps, he is removing one of the only options available for people who can't get a shelter bed.
There is a solution to this, but it's about as politically unpopular as you can get. You build more, smaller scale shelters, across the city that can focus on specific causes of becoming unhoused & allow people to stay 24/7. Which would help the unhoused but infuriate home owners.
But, very simply, without more shelter beds and a stronger guarantee of shelter, all sweeping encampments does is terrorize people who are already struggling nonstop to survive.
Also, quick note, because I have seen people mention Newsom's call for more affordable housing in these convos. More affordable housing is good, but it can only serve to keep the unhoused population from rising. For people currently unhoused, affordable housing does nothing.
The wait-list for most affordable housing vouchers can be between 1-3 years, unless a city uses a lottery system instead. And even then you need an income to ensure you can pay rent. What the unhoused need is transitional housing, which acts as a bridge between shelter and affordable housing.
Between the two, affordable housing is much easier, especially in states that have laws requiring all new apartment building set aside affordable units. Transitional housing is much harder, once again, because of the risk of lowering property values.
This is a really good, knowledgeable summary. The only two things I'll add: can't force unhoused into housing on your terms rather than theirs, and also there has to be a heavy mental health component.
Both excellent addendums!
The solution is to get people housed and then once they have safety and stability you can help them address gaps in health, connect them with addiction support, and provide educational opportunities. Shelters aren’t long-term solutions for anyone.
Very true. Shelter was probably the wrong term for me to use. There needs to be a 24/7 housing option that addresses those issues. I think I'm envisioning a blend of shelter and specified clinics.
endhomelessness.org/resources/to...
This rules! Thanks for the link.
You’re welcome! I really like the ideas behind the housing first model.