Laws targeting people for being unhoused go back a really, really long time – as far as the 16th century. You might have heard it called “vagrancy” before, but what we’re talking about is punishing people for being unhoused and poor. It’s not a coincidence that it happens.
Vagrancy laws have always been used to uphold social order as well as class and racial hierarchies. Today’s “homeless bans” find their roots in oppressive rationale like this. They make being poor into a punishable offense and, in turn, criminalize poverty. The problem doesn’t stop there.
Bans on being unhoused, camping, and being poor don’t work! They target people for not having resources, which doesn’t actually aid anyone in meeting their needs. These laws have increased throughout the nation, but there are some things to consider.
Law criminalizing being unhoused makes the problem worse. It targets activities people do to survive like living in vehicles, asking for money, and sharing food. This is a chronic problem in a nation where poverty disproportionately harms Black people. We can fight this.
Prosecutors and state legislators have the power to STOP criminalizing poverty and targeting unhoused people. During a time where evictions have increased, it’s of the utmost importance we fight to make sure housing is the human right it’s supposed to be!