Los Angeles Seeks to Ban Homeless People from Sleeping in Cars And RV’s (xpost from GD)

[KamaAina]

http://www.nationofchange.org/2015/04/07/los-angeles-seeks-to-ban-homeless-people-from-sleeping-in-cars-and-rvs/

It was recently reported that politicians in Los Angeles are seeking to ban homeless people from sleeping in their cars, and even RV’s. The city had a similar ban in the past, but it was rescinded in a federal appeals court last year because the wording of the law was too vague.

Now the city council is back with a more specifically written law that they hope will be able to permanently prevent homeless people from sleeping in vehicles. The city has also suggested selling permits to homeless people, who would be able to attain the “privilege” of camping in their cars if they pay the local government off.

Mike Feuer, one of the proponents of the new measure says that charging homeless people to sleep in their cars would “strive to meet the City Council’s goal to protect neighborhoods in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of the homeless.”

According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, roughly 5,000 residents are sleeping in cars at any given moment throughout the city.

[Trillo]

1. Quite a definition of privilege.

Not Pay to Play, but Pay to Sleep.

[Cleita]

2. What the hell is the matter with them?!

I spent ten years sleeping in an RV by choice. My DH and I did seasonal work which required us to travel around and having an RV was the best way to have housing. Sometimes we visited the family in LA and that meant we had to park somewhere, often the street in front of their house, and sleep in the RV. I truthfully don't believe we put anyone out or bothered them with this.

Many of the homeless in California have jobs but can't afford the high cost of housing so they sleep in their cars. Is the City Council prepared to put them up in hotels to get them to stop sleeping in their cars? Or, another solution is to get them affordable housing and increase base wages so they can afford housing. Is that so hard?

[daredtowork]

3. Why sell the permits?

I don't get this relentless drive to skim money from the poor while we always think it's necessary to throw more money at the rich to "incentivize" them.

Hey there's an idea - we could pay bonus money to incentivize people to move in to affordable housing that we guarantee will be available!