In “Criminalizing Homelessness”, the article discusses how some cities characterize homelessness as a crime and treat it the way any other crime should be dealt with-through laws, while other cities attempt to prevent homelessness through more positive approaches like establishing shelters, providing soup kitchens…etc. In many cities, like NYC both approaches to homelessness have been deployed. While NYC does offer soup kitchens and free clinics, they also have established laws that criminalize homelessness. For example, on many subways, there are clear signs posted urging subway riders not to provide money to beggars. Some cities take harsher approaches to homelessness like in Long Beach, California where “officials pick up homeless people under vagrancy laws, drive them out of town and then leave them there; they also offer homeless people one-way bus tickets to other locations.” These policies view homelessness as a choice, when those who are homeless do not choose to be. Most of the homeless population in NYC and elsewhere suffer from mental disorders like schizophrenia that do not allow them to hold down a job or live a normal life.

Question-What has been the most successful method implemented by any city to diminish and/or prevent homelessness to date?