The Los Angeles City Council voted to lift the moratorium on towing illegally parked RVs. On May 15th, 2023, it was enforced, however as we can see, the criminalization of homelessness continued even before the moratorium was lifted.
The ban on towing cars and vehicles that people live in came to be because of the pandemic. Housed people were concerned that unhoused people may take up ICU beds if COVID spread through the homeless community. But now that the coronavirus restrictions are being lifted, there is a growing push to get homeless people out of sight.
Homeless sweeps are cruel. They do nothing to solve homelessness and in many ways, make it harder to help people. The displacement and fear cause trauma. When a vehicle someone lives in is towed, they are then street homeless, making vulnerable people even more vulnerable. None of these people are offered housing or basic services. The criminalization of homelessness is a waste of taxpayer money. Money could be used to help people instead of just moving homeless people around the city.
How You Can Help
If you live in Los Angeles, visit and support Services Not Sweeps, an LA-based coalition made up of over 35 community organizations demanding a care-centric approach to homelessness and the end of criminalization.
The pandemic proved that we need to rethink housing in the U.S. It also showed that many programs designed to address homelessness are rooted in law enforcement rather than social services.
Contact your officials and representatives here. Tell them you support revamping the way your city addresses homelessness. Handcuffs do not get anyone closer to stable housing. Instead, we need to focus on compassionate solutions, which is the first step to ending homelessness once and for all.
Film on mobile homelessness:
When LIVING IN A CAR is Your Last Choice – “Mobile” a Short Film
