r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Garey_Coleman • 10d ago

Where are the homeless supposed to go?

Cities have been cracking down on homeless people so they can’t have encampments or stay on sidewalks. At the same time usually the shelters are full. So those who are unable to get into a shelter, where are they supposed to go?

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u/supersillygooser 10d ago

They’ll go wherever they can stay while being as close to resources as possible. The irony of kicking them out of urban areas and parks is they’ll have to move to suburban areas. Like, would these people rather have homeless on the sidewalk downtown or in their backyard?

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u/AliMcGraw 10d ago

We have a couple in my suburb, the commuter train station is a 24-hour warming/cooling shelter, so they often sleep in there.  During the daytime one of them likes to go to the library and quietly read, the other one just kind of walks around town with his dog. They don't bother anybody. Local merchants will often give them food they're about to throw out. Neither of them begs, but the guy with the dog will beg for his dog.

They both seem pretty aware that interacting with people is likely to get them in trouble, so they don't. The local police are well aware of them, and while they will go hassle other beggars (who may or may not be homeless), they generally leave these two guys alone. I know the town social worker talks to them fairly regularly, and checks up on them. My impression is that the one with the dog won't go in a shelter cuz none of them will let him take his dog, the other guy is really quiet and seems really afraid of other people, so I think he just wants to be left alone. I assume they both have mental health challenges, but I don't know that.

But yeah, two seems like a number that my little town can deal with; if there were dozens and dozens it would be a problem I think. 

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u/supersillygooser 10d ago

Homeless people get generalized to be harassing, ranting meth heads. A shame that those who are conscientious and just trying to get by are lumped into the same category by virtue of not having a place to live.