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Edit
I kinda made this post out of spite for the fact the most previous post in this community, whose title I quoted/copied, was getting so many downvotes... At the time I posted this, the previous post had about a 30% downvote rate, and it really, really made me mad.
I am relieved tho to see people in the comments here who have real, actual empathy for their fellow humans. Thank you for contributing here.
It blows my mind how normalized it is to hate on those who are struggling. Especially in 20fucking23 when so many of us now are on the verge of it ourselves. Let's be better, everyone - to everyone. I beg you.
It should be illegal to be homeless.
They should forcibly be provided shelter, protection, food, treatment, and skills until they are ready to live on their own. Of course they should be free to leave the facility each day, but if found camping out should be brought back.
At the same time very affordable, very durable housing should be provided for them to graduate out to.
If you would have ever talked to a homeless person, you would know this isn't a real solution.
For example there is very little chance such a camp would be set up anyway near a place where a homeless person could try to work themselves out of the bad situation they are in, which nearly all of them want to do. Usually they could find some place very remote themselves to live, but there is no chance to ever get out of the situation themselves then.
Any attempt to solve this needs to make sure these people are not robbed of their own agency and treated like some non-person that needs to be "managed" somehow. Just try to imaging yourself in such a situation and you will hopefully agree.
I've worked as an EMT for over a decade and prior to that experienced homelessness myself.
It is very rare these folks can help themselves, and need positive forces in their lives.
In our current society it isn't really a solution, but must become so. Homelessness is an epidemic and society must make drastic efforts to change.
Sure, they often objectively can't (without help), but usually they find themselves in a self-reinforcing downward spiral and taking away their agency makes it much worse.
Like I said, they are free to come and go, just not be homeless in public. They, I'm this idealized plan of mine would be receiving great things, from medical help to education, safety and more.
Trade off is you can't camp out a city park any more.