Seizing Gear from The Homeless

It seems counterintuitive that police officers are being asked to take the homeless people’s belongings away from them, when they want them to be healthy and stable. In Los Angeles, homeless people are now reaching out to lawyers to sue due to their personal belongings being taken. There was an incidence where a woman was hospitalized because her tent and blanket were removed from her. Now in Los Angeles there is a law restricting the amount of things a homeless person can have with them. The mayor in Denver, on the other hand, is holding off the seizing of the homeless until April. Seattle is now in a debate due to the amount of personal items the homeless are losing. In San Francisco they are under a lawsuit for seizing twenty-three people’s items. Lastly, in Honolulu even though it is warmer out and the weather conditions aren’t as difficult to live in, they are still having issues with seizing because the homeless are at risks if they are not able to keep themselves cool.

The Street Level Solution

It seems counterintuitive that we assume putting homeless people in homes will solve all problems. However, if people are living on the streets long enough and all of a sudden they are put in a home, it may not be easy for them to adapt well. Socializing with other people may also be an issue because they were probably alone most of the time. Many people become depressed due to traumatic brain injuries. In the Street Level Solution article, James O’Connell states, “For many it was a head injury prior to the time they became homeless. They became erratic. They’d have mood swings, bouts of explosive behavior. They couldn’t hold onto their jobs. Drinking made them feel better. They’d end up on the streets.” For these types of people, the best solution is usually support with mental health problems and being placed in a communal residence. This can be extremely beneficial to the homeless because a lot of support is provided, helping these people to get up and active again.

Trump Shelters?

It seems counterintuitive that since Donald Trump has become our new President, no changes that were made benefitted the homeless. If Trump goes through with the penny plan it could greatly affect the housing for the homeless in a negative way. The penny plan would cut one percent of government spending each year which would give them less money to pay for housing or shelters. Many places around the country are expected homelessness to get worst and are already starting to prepare for that.