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/MolemanEnLaManana 10d ago

No one wants to say it aloud (because it’s a vile and appalling outcome) but the logical conclusion here is putting homeless people in prisons and other institutions against their will. If you criminalize homelessness more and more, and you don’t create more spaces where the homeless can freely live, that’s what you’re building toward.

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u/HungryIndependence13 9d ago

Florida has made it illegal for them to sleep. No joke. 

You aren’t allowed to use someone else’s private property to sleep. 

You aren’t allowed to sleep on public property. 

So, they can’t sleep anywhere. They are not allowed to sleep. 

This 100% turns them into criminals against their will. No matter how hard they try to stay awake they will eventually fall asleep somewhere. 

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u/Fantastic-Campaign31 9d ago

One of the biggest "holy shit, this is what the world is really like" moments for me as a new adult was when I went on a road trip and due to limited funds some nights I slept in my car. And I learned very quick how difficult it is to legally sleep in public. My brain couldn't comprehend it. I'm technically legally not allowed to just park on the street somewhere where I'm not bothering someone and sleep? Or find an empty lot overnight?  Then I wondered about people less fortunate than I who don't do it by choice. Who have no other option. It's incredibly sad that as a society you can't just...exist, sometimes. 

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u/WormedOut 9d ago

The laws are made due to the consequences of the extreme. If large amounts of cars park on the side of the road and are full of people sleeping, it’s a safety hazard. Public sleeping laws are to stop homeless encampments from forming.

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u/Fantastic-Campaign31 9d ago

I actually did come to that conclusion! Makes sense, doesn't make it any less sad

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u/FYAhole 9d ago

Rest stops along the highway are great places to sleep

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u/StarrySkiesNY 9d ago

LOL! I hope you're being sarcastic. Yeah, that worked out really well for Michael Jordan's father years ago when he was murdered sleeping in his car at one. My uncle used to drive rigs, and he said those are the most dangerous areas on the road because criminals constantly hang around looking for travelers to victimize.

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u/Fantastic-Campaign31 9d ago

Also, if you're travelling somewhere more remote (like I was) the risk of animals is really high too. You'll be okay for the most part in your car (well, even then, depends on the car) if you wake up in time - but animals are unpredictable, and large ones too at that. Wouldn't want to risk it

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u/FYAhole 9d ago

People get murdered everywhere. I have slept many times at rest stops and thankfully have not been murdered. If you're homeless, you don't have many other options

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u/Indigo_Sweater 9d ago

The correct way to address that is to make it easier for homeless people to find housing. Not make it illegal. You can't just make everything you don't find appealing or even unsafe illegal, it's impossible to enforce and always leads to mostly innocent people paying the price. It's not a "consequence for the extreme" its political theater.

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u/Stunning_Scheme_6418 8d ago

I feel like it would even be helpful for cities to open up a couple parking lots and throw a couple security guards in there and let people crash there. Make some rules about having to be gone at a certain time of morning can't come back till a certain time in the evening throw some porta potties up there. Temporary but better than rousting people and not having a safe place to sleep.