Politicians have a lot to gain from pointing accusatory fingers at the homeless population. But the real reason homelessness exists and crime rates are increasing is a looming affordability crisis. Misdirected anger will undoubtedly lead to misinformed legislation in the form of criminalizing homelessness. This is a proven failed approach in a sea of more effective options.
Homelessness and Housing, Cost and Crime
The cost of living in Oakland, California, soars 46% higher than the national average. Here, the median home price is a jaw-dropping $895,000. The renter landscape isn’t much of an improvement, with average monthly rental prices for a one-bedroom apartment exceeding $2,000 in most cases. Oakland’s rental rates loom well above national median rents by about 31%.
“We had no idea rent was so high,” said Kymberli in a tear-streaked interview with Invisible People.
Kymberli and her husband, B, shared how they wound up in an Oakland-based homeless encampment. It was one of death, misery, and of not being able to make financial ends meet.
“Our rent was going to go up to like $2,500, and we don’t have that kind of money,” B explained.
As one might imagine, Oakland is riddled with rampant crime amid these financial woes. CNN reports a double-digit spike in several violent crimes like burglary, robbery, and even rape. Socio-economic experts at Business Insider predicted such circumstances back in 2022, stating that sky-rocketing living costs could lead to more theft and burglary and eventually an uptick in most violent crimes, including murder.
Homeless People Blamed for Everything from Crime and Drugs to Missing Traffic Lights
Is this constructive? Imagine the level of propaganda and mental manipulation it took to convince the world that the person who lives outside in a tent is responsible for all of these advanced social dilemmas.
While academics and advocates recognize the link between crime and cost, politicians keenly place the blame on the poorest population of all – the homeless population.
Since public opinion is more easily shaped from the top down than the bottom up, this misplaced blame inevitably influences the general public. Homeless people start being blamed for problems that are caused by the homeless crisis or that exist entirely outside of that bubble but that feature other elements of crime.
A prime example of this occurred in Oakland at the onset of summer 2024 when the city removed traffic lights from a busy intersection. According to Fox News, city officials cited copper and wire theft as their reason for replacing the much-needed traffic lights with stop signs and putting local drivers at a higher risk of accidents. Once it was discovered that the bustling intersection was due for a downgrade, local residents reacted by blaming their circumstances on the homeless population. Not only is that anger misdirected, but perhaps more importantly, it’s inefficacious since city leaders haven’t put forth any long-term solutions to the homeless crisis.
“Blaming homeless people for traffic problems is ridiculous,” commented The National Homelessness Law Center’s senior director, Eric Tars, in an exclusive discussion with Invisible People. “It does seem like homeless people are getting blamed for all of these systemic problems that are caused by elected officials. They’re a very convenient scapegoat because they don’t have the resources to defend themselves. They don’t want to be out there sleeping on the sidewalks. Nobody does. They’re there because of the lack of other options.”
Tars said much of this blame goes hand-in-hand with other harmful and misdirected narratives, such as the bootstrap theory and the notorious myth that homeless people are “service-resistant” and choose to live on the streets.
“During the pandemic, we saw perfectly how when people are offered dignified private spaces, non-congregate shelter, hotel rooms, and the like, they took advantage of those options at exceptionally high rates,” Tars said. “That showed us if we want to get people off the streets, we know how to do it.”
The Question Becomes: Do These Elected Officials Want to Get Homeless People Off the Streets?
According to Tars, criminalization is counterproductive to that goal.
“If ticketing, fining, and arresting people ended homelessness, we would’ve ended homelessness long ago,” he said. “But it’s never worked to end homelessness. We know what actually works. It’s housing, its services, and to some extent, it’s even interim solutions like non-congregate shelter.”
“Putting those proven solutions in place might not be quite as politically expedient as blaming the homeless people for crime and misdirecting attention away from the failures of our elected officials to solve the systemic problems that are producing homelessness,” Tars continued. “But it’s ultimately the more productive approach. It’s the tactic proven to yield the best results for housed and unhoused people alike.”
Talk To Your Local Reps About Enacting Proven Strategies that End Homelessness
Problems that happen because homelessness exists are not the fault of the unhoused community. Instead, they are the result of social system failures. Henceforth, blaming the unsheltered population will not fix the situation. It will only stir more flames of hatred and division.
If you are concerned about an issue that you think is caused by homelessness, whether it is a missing traffic signal, a health hazard, or a congested street lined with makeshift shelters, pick up your phone and contact your legislators about enacting proven strategies that can seriously reduce homelessness today.
