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Criminalizing Homelessness Can Now Cost Cities Federal Money
After arguing last month that local ordinances criminalizing people for being homeless are unconstitutional, the Obama administration will now tie federal funding to whether municipalities are cracking down on criminalization measures.
Every year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gives out $1.9 billion in grants to local Continuums of Care, public-private partnerships that tackle homelessness in a specific area. These grants are doled out in a competitive process whereby applicants must fill out a lengthy questionnaire about how they plan to use the money, as well as their current policies.
Last week, though, HUD announced that it would begin asking applicants to describe the steps they are taking to reduce the criminalization of homelessness. Ordinances that criminalize homelessness, also known as “anti-vagrancy” or “quality of life” laws, include making it illegal to sit down on a sidewalk, ask passersby for spare change, or sleep in a public place. Applicants for the federal money will have to show they are engaging with local policymakers or law enforcement about criminalization policies, as well as implementing new community plans to ensure homelessness is not criminalized. Failing to combat such ordinances will hurt a Continuum of Care’s chances of winning new funds.
The change comes after the administration filed a brief in federal court arguing that criminalization violates the Eighth Amendment’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
Maria Foscarinis, Executive Director of the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, hailed the latest move. “We welcome the federal government’s direction of tax limited dollars to the places that will most effectively use that money to address homelessness,” Foscarinis said in a statement. She also noted that HUD is giving sufficient weight to criminalization policies that the question “in many cases could be the difference between receiving funding and not.”
The Obama administration has made a pattern of connecting federal funding to desired outcomes in localities. Its signature education achievement, Race to the Top, encouraged schools across the country to raise their standards by making it a prerequisite to receive more federal funding. Obamacare ties some hospital funding to how effectively they avoid preventable infections and patient re-admissions. Homeless advocates hope that connecting HUD funding to the fight against homeless criminalization will have a similar impact.
Glorious. First of all, you don't know how old I am, second of all, you're playing the young people are liberals and older people are conservatives card, which is blatantly false.You got me, I go to college, guess it means I'm a brainwashed liberal.Really???
I work with the homeless and veterans all the time...
On my own time...
And you??
...he's a college kid with no life experience...EVERYTHING is theory (powered by ideology) to him
It means you are ignorant, and arrogant. In other words, yeah pretty much. Younger people with no real world experience, should keep their mouths closed more, and ears open more.
i'm willing to bet you are about 42; or 73
New word for you? Please don't bore us by using it in every post you make now.Anecdotal anecdotal anecdotal.Yes, nothing's perfect, especially when it's the government, the difference is, the private sector can't possibly care for all of those in need, the depression proves this.You didn't understand the point, if a rich man calls himself Christian and hoards billions when children are starving to death when THEY COULD LITERALLY HELP THEM, are they Christian? The government has the authority to collect taxes, Jesus even said leave to Caesar what is Caesars. The government is the most efficient way to help the poor, this is proven in all cases, private charity doesn't cut it.Give. Not have the government take, not have the government provide, not have the government as the be all/end all.
Charity is not the government providing for others. You guys really don't get that part, do you?
You guys like to play the Jesus card but you don't have a freaking clue.
Oh please. The government has been ripped off billions on nearly every program they have. At least in the private sector they watch the money that comes to them.
I'm not asking for protection, but what I am saying is that there is politics behind these programs. You have to come here and see what goes on at my grocery store with these SNAP's cards. They load the cart with government acceptable items, and then pay cash for their cigarettes, beer, wine, flowers, greeting cards........
I had tenants I evicted about two years ago. It was an unmarried couple with two children. He worked but she stayed home "supposedly" home schooling the kids. When they got too far behind rent, I suggested that she work on the weekends while the boyfriend was home to watch the kids. She wouldn't do it. Why? Because she was getting $225.00 a month on food stamps.
Both parents smoked and so did their 15 year old daughter they supplied cigarettes to. They had three cats and a very large dog. They used to come home with those 25 lbs bags of dog food. And oh yes, an Obama phone too.
Government--especially a Democrat government loves when these programs are ripped off. Why? Because the more government dependents, the more likely Democrat voters. You don't have that kind of motivation in the private sector.
Yeah, you made that guy break into that woman's house to rape, kill and rob her, sassy! You monster!Didn't Jesus state "the poor will always be with us"?
Do you Christians think that Jesus would approve of making homeless people into criminals simply because they're poor?
They make themselves criminals. Good grief
Glorious. First of all, you don't know how old I am, second of all, you're playing the young people are liberals and older people are conservatives card, which is blatantly false.You got me, I go to college, guess it means I'm a brainwashed liberal....he's a college kid with no life experience...EVERYTHING is theory (powered by ideology) to him
It means you are ignorant, and arrogant. In other words, yeah pretty much. Younger people with no real world experience, should keep their mouths closed more, and ears open more.
i'm willing to bet you are about 42; or 73
And he's not a scholar of any sort. He likes to blather and I've no doubt he imagines himself as an as-of-yet undiscovered literary genius, but he's not. He's a dime a dozen progressive windbag.
If Homeless People behave themselves, there is no reason to lock them up in cages. But see in a Police State, locking Citizens away in cages is the solution to every problem. The U.S. now locks more of its Citizens up than any other nation on earth, per capita. How bout that Freedom & Liberty?
If Homeless People behave themselves, there is no reason to lock them up in cages. But see in a Police State, locking Citizens away in cages is the solution to every problem. The U.S. now locks more of its Citizens up than any other nation on earth, per capita. How bout that Freedom & Liberty?
you're too stupid to ponder the notion that in other countries fewer people are locked up because
wait for it................................
wait for it...............................
wait.............................
CRIMINALS OF ALL KINDS GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRIMES
Damn, I thought it was because we're the only country that has criminal Democrats....If Homeless People behave themselves, there is no reason to lock them up in cages. But see in a Police State, locking Citizens away in cages is the solution to every problem. The U.S. now locks more of its Citizens up than any other nation on earth, per capita. How bout that Freedom & Liberty?
you're too stupid to ponder the notion that in other countries fewer people are locked up because
wait for it................................
wait for it...............................
wait.............................
CRIMINALS OF ALL KINDS GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRIMES
If Homeless People behave themselves, there is no reason to lock them up in cages. But see in a Police State, locking Citizens away in cages is the solution to every problem. The U.S. now locks up more of its Citizens than any other nation on earth, per capita. YAY! We're #1! How bout that Freedom & Liberty?
If Homeless People behave themselves, there is no reason to lock them up in cages. But see in a Police State, locking Citizens away in cages is the solution to every problem. The U.S. now locks more of its Citizens up than any other nation on earth, per capita. How bout that Freedom & Liberty?
you're too stupid to ponder the notion that in other countries fewer people are locked up because
wait for it................................
wait for it...............................
wait.............................
CRIMINALS OF ALL KINDS GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRIMES
If Homeless People behave themselves, there is no reason to lock them up in cages. But see in a Police State, locking Citizens away in cages is the solution to every problem. The U.S. now locks more of its Citizens up than any other nation on earth, per capita. How bout that Freedom & Liberty?
you're too stupid to ponder the notion that in other countries fewer people are locked up because
wait for it................................
wait for it...............................
wait.............................
CRIMINALS OF ALL KINDS GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRIMES
total population or proportion of population, we're pretty high up there. China for example has a fraction of our prisoners. And several times our population. We have more people incarcerated per 100,000 than anyone else in the entire world.....with the exception of Seychelles. An island 'nation' with only 90,000 citizens.
Ever heard of Seychelles? Me neither.
If Homeless People behave themselves, there is no reason to lock them up in cages. But see in a Police State, locking Citizens away in cages is the solution to every problem. The U.S. now locks more of its Citizens up than any other nation on earth, per capita. How bout that Freedom & Liberty?
you're too stupid to ponder the notion that in other countries fewer people are locked up because
wait for it................................
wait for it...............................
wait.............................
CRIMINALS OF ALL KINDS GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRIMES
total population or proportion of population, we're pretty high up there. China for example has a fraction of our prisoners. And several times our population. We have more people incarcerated per 100,000 than anyone else in the entire world.....with the exception of Seychelles. An island 'nation' with only 90,000 citizens.
Ever heard of Seychelles? Me neither.
a stat with nothing to back it up at all.
do you have some evidence innocent people are being locked up? if you did you didnt offer it.
i can already predict the next move; a whine that minorities are locked up for certain crimes at higher rates than non-minorities.
that doesnt hold up to scrutiny either; because people caught dealing drugs will say they were in possession of that drugs for their own personal use and that was the only packages they came in, so they can get treatment rather than incarceration. but you can only do that so much if you keep getting arrested with drugs on you you will wind up in prison for dealing
If Homeless People behave themselves, there is no reason to lock them up in cages. But see in a Police State, locking Citizens away in cages is the solution to every problem. The U.S. now locks more of its Citizens up than any other nation on earth, per capita. How bout that Freedom & Liberty?
you're too stupid to ponder the notion that in other countries fewer people are locked up because
wait for it................................
wait for it...............................
wait.............................
CRIMINALS OF ALL KINDS GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRIMES
total population or proportion of population, we're pretty high up there. China for example has a fraction of our prisoners. And several times our population. We have more people incarcerated per 100,000 than anyone else in the entire world.....with the exception of Seychelles. An island 'nation' with only 90,000 citizens.
Ever heard of Seychelles? Me neither.
a stat with nothing to back it up at all.
do you have some evidence innocent people are being locked up? if you did you didnt offer it.
i can already predict the next move; a whine that minorities are locked up for certain crimes at higher rates than non-minorities.
that doesnt hold up to scrutiny either; because people caught dealing drugs will say they were in possession of that drugs for their own personal use and that was the only packages they came in, so they can get treatment rather than incarceration. but you can only do that so much if you keep getting arrested with drugs on you you will wind up in prison for dealing
Decriminalize most drugs. And then release all non-violent drug offenders from our prisons. That would be a wise first step in undoing this Police State.
If Homeless People behave themselves, there is no reason to lock them up in cages. But see in a Police State, locking Citizens away in cages is the solution to every problem. The U.S. now locks more of its Citizens up than any other nation on earth, per capita. How bout that Freedom & Liberty?
you're too stupid to ponder the notion that in other countries fewer people are locked up because
wait for it................................
wait for it...............................
wait.............................
CRIMINALS OF ALL KINDS GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRIMES
total population or proportion of population, we're pretty high up there. China for example has a fraction of our prisoners. And several times our population. We have more people incarcerated per 100,000 than anyone else in the entire world.....with the exception of Seychelles. An island 'nation' with only 90,000 citizens.
Ever heard of Seychelles? Me neither.
a stat with nothing to back it up at all.
do you have some evidence innocent people are being locked up? if you did you didnt offer it.
i can already predict the next move; a whine that minorities are locked up for certain crimes at higher rates than non-minorities.
that doesnt hold up to scrutiny either; because people caught dealing drugs will say they were in possession of that drugs for their own personal use and that was the only packages they came in, so they can get treatment rather than incarceration. but you can only do that so much if you keep getting arrested with drugs on you you will wind up in prison for dealing
Decriminalize most drugs. And then release all non-violent drug offenders from our prisons. That would be a wise first step in undoing this Police State.
Drugs and alcohol (along with mental illness) are leading causes of homelessness, your suggestion would only amplify the problem
you're too stupid to ponder the notion that in other countries fewer people are locked up because
wait for it................................
wait for it...............................
wait.............................
CRIMINALS OF ALL KINDS GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRIMES
total population or proportion of population, we're pretty high up there. China for example has a fraction of our prisoners. And several times our population. We have more people incarcerated per 100,000 than anyone else in the entire world.....with the exception of Seychelles. An island 'nation' with only 90,000 citizens.
Ever heard of Seychelles? Me neither.
a stat with nothing to back it up at all.
do you have some evidence innocent people are being locked up? if you did you didnt offer it.
i can already predict the next move; a whine that minorities are locked up for certain crimes at higher rates than non-minorities.
that doesnt hold up to scrutiny either; because people caught dealing drugs will say they were in possession of that drugs for their own personal use and that was the only packages they came in, so they can get treatment rather than incarceration. but you can only do that so much if you keep getting arrested with drugs on you you will wind up in prison for dealing
Decriminalize most drugs. And then release all non-violent drug offenders from our prisons. That would be a wise first step in undoing this Police State.
Drugs and alcohol (along with mental illness) are leading causes of homelessness, your suggestion would only amplify the problem
Maybe, maybe not.
I have a dear friend who ended up in prison (and rightly deserved to be there). But its helped me understand the issue, meet people that didn't deserve to be there or were held for far too long. And to see the huge difficulties facing excons when they get out.
The move toward privatization is an awful idea. As private companies make more profits on recitivism. Which discourages them to advance any programs that help inmates make the transition to the outside.
I've made a point to hire excons when their skills match my needs. And I make a habit of writing several prisoners as well as sending quarterly packages. Lots of folks forget the 'I was in prison and you visited me' part of the parable of the Sheep and Goats.
If Homeless People behave themselves, there is no reason to lock them up in cages. But see in a Police State, locking Citizens away in cages is the solution to every problem. The U.S. now locks more of its Citizens up than any other nation on earth, per capita. How bout that Freedom & Liberty?
you're too stupid to ponder the notion that in other countries fewer people are locked up because
wait for it................................
wait for it...............................
wait.............................
CRIMINALS OF ALL KINDS GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRIMES
total population or proportion of population, we're pretty high up there. China for example has a fraction of our prisoners. And several times our population. We have more people incarcerated per 100,000 than anyone else in the entire world.....with the exception of Seychelles. An island 'nation' with only 90,000 citizens.
Ever heard of Seychelles? Me neither.
a stat with nothing to back it up at all.
do you have some evidence innocent people are being locked up? if you did you didnt offer it.
total population or proportion of population, we're pretty high up there. China for example has a fraction of our prisoners. And several times our population. We have more people incarcerated per 100,000 than anyone else in the entire world.....with the exception of Seychelles. An island 'nation' with only 90,000 citizens.
Ever heard of Seychelles? Me neither.
a stat with nothing to back it up at all.
do you have some evidence innocent people are being locked up? if you did you didnt offer it.
i can already predict the next move; a whine that minorities are locked up for certain crimes at higher rates than non-minorities.
that doesnt hold up to scrutiny either; because people caught dealing drugs will say they were in possession of that drugs for their own personal use and that was the only packages they came in, so they can get treatment rather than incarceration. but you can only do that so much if you keep getting arrested with drugs on you you will wind up in prison for dealing
Decriminalize most drugs. And then release all non-violent drug offenders from our prisons. That would be a wise first step in undoing this Police State.
Drugs and alcohol (along with mental illness) are leading causes of homelessness, your suggestion would only amplify the problem
Maybe, maybe not.
It can't help but cause more of a problem. Our Church works with the homeless, I would be willing to bet 17 out of 20 people that come to us are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.
