Los Angeles finally cracking down on homeless campinghttps://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2021/07/01/los-angeles-finally-cracking-down-on-homeless-camping-n399936One issue that didn’t receive much attention from all of the pandemic relief money flooding the country was the homelessness crisis in most of America’s larger cities. The eviction moratorium (for better or worse) prevented an even larger number of people from being sent out into the streets to seek shelter, but there wasn’t much done for those who were already without a roof over their heads. The problem has been particularly nagging in Los Angeles, which attracts the homeless in large numbers because of its favorable climate and generous social services. Progressive legislators there and across California have also enacted new laws and policies in recent years decriminalizing so-called “quality of life” crimes, such as prohibitions against camping or urinating on sidewalks or in other public spaces. The result was just as you would probably have predicted. Enormous tent cities emerged, blocking sidewalks and turning into havens for drug dealing and petty theft. But now it seems that the municipal government has heard too many voters complaining and they’re working to finally do something about it. (Associated Press)
Los Angeles city leaders are poised to pass sweeping restrictions Thursday on one of the nation’s largest homeless populations, making it illegal to pitch tents on many sidewalks, beneath overpasses and near parks.
The measure before the City Council is billed as a humane approach to get people off streets and restore access to public spaces, and it wouldn’t be enforced until someone has turned down an offer of shelter. It would severely limit the number of places where homeless encampments have been allowed to grow and become a common sight across the city.
My emphasis; that is the poison-pill that makes this ordinance meaningless. What shelter-activist or social services bureaucrat is going to cooperate with LAPD or LASD to clean out an encampment or get a few campers off a street?
