Seattle U study finds laws pile up against homeless

[Liberal_in_LA]

Rankin said cities across the state have been adopting more and more laws that effectively make being homeless a crime by outlawing behaviors that are part of surviving on the streets — sleeping on a sidewalk or in a car, or relieving one’s self outdoors. There are things people have to do, like sleep or use the bathroom, which are hard to do if you don’t have a bedroom or a bathroom.

The report, released last week, is the first of its scope, Rankin told me Thursday. It consists of four policy briefs — a survey of ordinances and enforcement, a look at costs, the demographics of homelessness, and a comparative history of laws that affect selective groups.
The researchers found that most communities have ordinances that police public behavior and are aimed primarily at controlling or removing people who are homeless from places where they aren’t wanted.

Auburn has 14 such laws, the most in the state. Seattle has six, which is average, but Seattle issues by far the most citations because it has the largest population of homeless people.
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/seattle-u-study-finds-laws-pile-up-against-homeless/

[okaawhatever]

1. I didn't realize Seattle had so many homeless. nt

[pnwmom]

4. We have a fairly moderate climate here, and moderate climates are better for homeless people. n/t

[JonLP24]

2. Here in Arizona they marked off a lot of freeways as tresspassing areas

private property. Post signs all over the place obviously targeting panhandlers which isn't against the law but you're either loitering or trespassing. Parks say no "camping or sleeping". Trespassing laws either are the owner says go away you come back you're trespassing or if you're within 100 ft of a no-trespassing sign

Last time I was in court there was Bulgarian woman who needed a translator -- the prosecutor read off the evidence saying she was within a trespassing sign read off what it said in English saying officers stopped her holding a sign that said "Please Help - Have kids - God bless".

[pinboy3niner]

3. K&R

[Journeyman]

5. Ah, but "the law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor . . .

to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

~ Anatole France (1894)