Is it a crime to be homeless in the U.S.?

Question

DON'T make any assumptions as I am NOT giving my opinion.

In many states, until recently, it was considered a misdemeanor. There were laws against vagrancy which many homeless 'tend' to do..I believe some states still have them.. or something similar.


Do homeless bring property value down? How would a home owner feel about that?

Do they affect the image of the cities they 'live' in? Would it deter people from visiting that city and possibly spending money there?

Just giving info to consider if you decide to 'answer' my 'question'..

scott...where are you reading that????

Answer 1

The only crime is that in such a wealthy country as ours people are homeless !

Answer 2

There are a lot of homeless people in Detroit here, it is sad and very disheartening, and it does bring the value of the city down. It is hard because these people have no where else to go so they have to be somewhere. We had a very big mental facility close down here a few years ago and for those that had no family that would come get them they were released into the streets to fend for themselves. I used to think that if you are homeless then you should get a job and learn how to survive, but it isn't always that simple. Some people don't know what to do to survive and they do the best they can which can often mean they end up committing crimes. I think it deters some people or actually makes them afraid, but ultimately home owners can really do nothing about it.

Answer 3

OK I'll answer. I can't answer for anyone other than myself, nor can I be counted upon as a moral compass.

There are different kinds of homeless people. People who lost their savings because they lost their job, some people lost everything because of an addiction, some people wander out because of mental illness, and then there are those who were born homeless. There are shelters for those looking for help, but not everyone is willing to accept it. But that is a choice that they have to make on their own.

I don't want to see the homeless, though. They smell, they invite disease, they are unsightly, and there is a potential for physical danger. While I do believe that they should be afforded the rights guaranteed in the Constitution, I do not want to be around them. I would not buy an apartment in a neighborhood known for it homeless. I would not want the homeless living around my house either.

As for whether they affect the image of the cities that they live in or if it would deter people from visiting, well I would have to say that if the city were not itself an attraction for people in general, the homeless would probably not be interested in it either. People will visit a city regardless of the homeless, and while there are a few that may stay home, they probably use the homeless to rationalize not going someplace they had no interest in visiting anyway.

Answer 4

some areas it is a crime and they get chased out. ye the homeless bring down property value but that is also cercumstancial. new york city alone has over 40,000 homeless living there but the property value there is very expensive. everything just depends. if i were to move into a suburb but i see that there are homeless ppl around there i would not want to live there. it is more risky. higher chance of theft and crime to be commited. i do not want to leave my house and have beggers bothering me when i just want to enjoy a bbq with my family.
any negative impact has an effect when you visit any where not just a city. as far as being an owner of property when u have bumms running around where u own property reputable ppl do not want to come where you are. what angers me about the homeless in the united states is if ppl from all over the world can come here and make it then why are there bums living in america? there are many jobs avaiable to these people and education offered. there are shelters and government programs to keep people off the streets.

Answer 5

Vagrancy is not the same thing as homelessness. But, yes, some communities do use misdemeanor charges of vagrancy to cut down on the presence of bums on the street.

Again, though, this is very different from homelessness. Homeless is a broad category that encompasses anyone who does not have a home of their own. This could include everyone from the bum on the street to the cousin sleeping on your sofa-bed. Vagrancy is much more specific. It is a law designed to control people who do not support themselves.

I'm not too keen on vagrancy laws, but I do understand the sentiment behind them. After all, in a society like ours, it isn't that difficult to find jobs and pay your way through society. People are understandably resentful of those who choose to live off of the generosity of others when they are perfectly capable of supporting themselves. However, vagrancy laws also gave police an opportunity to find out if those sitting on the curb were truly in need of something.

I think those laws are imperfect, at best, and many communities have done away with vagrancy laws. However, bums DO hurt property values and detract from the image of cities. (Homeless people in general do NOT, but BUMS do.) Still, I think the way these ordinances are designed is quite important. We don't want laws that make it illegal to exist. Instead, we may want to think of a way to require people to support themselves. Hard to design rules that are fair, though.

Answer 6

I use to be upset with homeless people how loiter near stores that are not well kept and asking my Mom for money. I grew up in a small town near Pasadena, and it is rare but once in a while you have to pass one up on the street. My Mom sometimes would make food and ask me to walk to give them a meal. I learned differently growing up as we were starting to live on a shoe string budget. I learned that regardless, good people do become homeless. As of now, 03-02-2014, I am now homeless and am only able to get a few hours of work a week. Sometimes, I get 40 hours, though the cost of living is too high I am unable to rent. The excuse companies give me is that I am over qualified and that they won't pay me more than minimum. Even when I beg, they much rather give a job to a kid or an elderly person. The Staffing Agencies love me and they send me out to the good jobs. However, right now, it's rough every where and if the work is slow, they don't have the budget to hire you on or keep you imployed for the rest of the week. I am becoming more humble and greatful for what I had and have now. I might not have a home or steady work, I am not going to let anyone arrest me or call me a bum for it. Thank you for reading.

Answer 7

Yes and no. Homelessness is rarely a crime in itself. But it ain't easy, from a legal standpoint.

There are still a number of vagrancy laws on the books in various jurisdictions -- but they are not used very often. However, there are many statutes and ordinances that deal with things related to how homeless people get by that can make homelessness illegal de facto (in fact) if not de jure (in law). These would include prohibitions on panhandling or begging (how many homeless earn money), curfews and closing hours in parks or other places where they might sleep or congregate,andother trespassing-like restrictions. There are also laws in some states against illegal gatherings (groups of a certain number of people congregating in one place without a permit), and (my personal favorite) "Loitering with Intent". Finally, there may be public health regulations, or city building codes, that effect the homeless when they try to squat in condemne buildings.

As to what it does to home values -- it hurts them. Ask yourself -- would you pay as much for a house across the street from a condemned apartment house filled with squatters as you would for the same house across the street from a pretty, well-maintained and patrolled park?

Home values are also effected by homelessnesss through an application of the "broken windows" theory of crime -- places where there is an appearance of the breakdwon of social order (with lots of broken windows, trash in the streets, rusted out cars stripped to the frame) are more likely to have high levels of crime than identical neighborhoods that are well maintained. Rightly or wrongly, the homeless reperesent in most peoples minds a sign of a breakdown in social order.

Answer 8

I don't think actually being homeless is a crime, but many things like sleeping on the street is I believe. . . .Its not fair, because there are not enough shelters to fit all the homeless people and not enough people helping them get a job. . .

Homeless people do bring down property value unfortunately, and it doesn't really deter visitors. .cause in that case why do people still go to LA and NY and Miami?

Answer 9

The actual act of being homeless is not a crime. The homeless cannot sleep or dwell in certain public places...that's illegal. I was driving to my doctor the other day and I was waiting at a stop light and this homeless veteran was sitting at the side of the road with a sign that said, "I'm hungry, my gear was stolen, please help, will work for food." So, I gave the guy $10. I figured he could use it more than me.

Answer 10

No, i dont think it's a crime, but there are MANY ways of making money in the US and I would think that if there were many homeless in a certain area, people would more than likely reconsider spending money or living there.....either way...we should HELP the homeless instead of just thinking about it....

Answer 11

it is not a crime to be homeless.

it is a crime for anyone to beg in certain places.

homeless people do bring property values down.

homeless people do deter some people from visiting cities and spending money.

that being said they have a right to live anywhere they want as long as they don't break the local laws -