A new ordinance passed at a Las Vegas City Council meeting on Wednesday bans homeless people from sleeping or camping on certain city streets. The ordinance, which passed by a 5-2 vote, makes it a misdemeanor for homeless people to sleep or camp on some streets if beds at shelters are technically available. As reported by the Reno Gazette Journal, this ban would apply to select parts of the downtown Las Vegas area, but not the Las Vegas strip.
The Journal also reports that while the law goes into effect this Sunday, it would not be enforceable until Feb. 1, 2020. If people violate the law, by the way, they’d be subject to up to six months in jail or fines up to $1,000. Jail time and fines, of course, only make it harder for people to save for housing, food, or get a job. So it’s no surprise, then, that advocates for the homeless (as well as presently homeless people) appeared in the chambers with chants including, “Housing not handcuffs! and “Hey hey, ho ho, the war on the poor has got to go!”
Why wouldn’t a homeless person want to sleep in a bed at an established shelter? For those who have never experienced homelessness, it’s a fair confusion. But for homeless people, there are various legitimate reasons. For many transgender homeless people, getting a shelter bed can require either going by your deadname or identifying as your sex assigned at birth, which can be traumatizing in itself. There are countless reports of transgender people allegedly being denied shelter access because of their gender identity.
For people who are survivors of abuse and violence, shelters can also be dangerous—if someone’s abuser is a guest at the same shelter, people may feel unsafe staying there themselves. Language barriers can also create distrust in shelter systems. There’s also the reality that homeless people often fear law enforcement; while not every shelter has a police presence, people may feel wary of accessing services if they’ve been traumatized by police brutality or harassment in the past.
For homeless people who have pets, this can also be an obstacle, as not all shelters are able to accommodate animals.
Legislation that pushes homeless people further from public view stokes the negative connotation the general population already has when it comes to a severely at-risk community. Studies show that homeless adults are more likely to be victims of violent crimes. Homeless women are particularly vulnerable to being victims of sexual violence, coercion, and repeated victimization. Homelessness is also a racial issue: A 2018 literature review suggests that black Americans make up 40% of the homeless population, though they are only 12% of the general population.
An estimated 40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ youth, with many reporting that they were rejected from their families because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQ homeless youth are also more likely to experience sexual violence, mental health problems, and attempt suicide than heterosexual and cisgender homeless youth.
What’s the point of view from officials in favor of the legislation?
“We know this isn’t perfect,” Mayor Carolyn Goodman said on Wednesday. "We’re going to find the flaws, and we’re going to fix them.” She also stressed that the ordinance is designed to help people, not hurt them. “This is to get our homeless into an environment of re-entry into the best life in this community,” she noted.
Julián Castro, 2020 presidential hopeful, tweeted about the legislation:
Months ago, Castro actually visited some of the Las Vegas tunnels where homeless people often go to escape sweltering heat:
Fellow contender Sen. Cory Booker has also spoken out against the ordinance:
As has Sen. Elizabeth Warren:
And Sen. Kamala Harris:
And former Vice President Joe Biden:
And Sen. Bernie Sanders:
In a society where 40% of Americans can’t cover a $400 emergency expense with cash, many of us are closer to becoming homeless than we’d like to admit. Homeless people aren’t monsters, boogeymen, or shadows—they’re real people, and they deserve dignity, autonomy, and resources. One way to help homeless people? Provide them with safe, accessible, and stable housing—without the threat of jail time.