[EliRivers]

Many people take a more pragmatic, evidence-based approach that leads to a better outcome.

In the interests of not being passive-aggressive, I'm saying that your absolutist approach is a bad idea and in many cases makes things worse.

I do recognise that there are people who prefer a worse outcome, because they want to see people directly punished, and also people who prefer a worse overall outcome if it makes their lives any better at all (effectively offload all the bad outcome onto other people).

[closeparen]

At no point will we be able to accomodate every desperate person who shows up in a top-tier city with a good apartment there quickly. Supply, density, and affordable housing programs can all be drastically increased, but not enough for the literal billions of people in the world who would take you up on that. Even the Soviets had to assign people to live in less desirable places.

Letting everything else fall apart (libraries, parks, transit, sidewalks, bike paths, etc) as we hold out for this to change doesn't strike me as pragmatism.

[jesssse]

I wonder what evidence could be found about my proposed solution of "law enforcement".

Currently, criminals are allowed to live on public pathways and in neighborhood parks.

It's normal to see mountains of feces and needles and water bottle caps.

It's outrageous and absolutely a failure of government.

[Broken_Hippo]

I*m working from memory here, but evidence generally finds that having an actual safety net and giving folks homes to live in works. Making sure folks have mental health care works. Even with folks that insist on trying to stay on the streets ... it seems simply taking them home enough time works.

You could also build centers with toilet facilities for people to live outside if they choose - like campsites, only nicer.

If the people are criminals, the solution is to have better re-integration programs and focus much of the criminal justice system on helping folks instead of being cruel and punishing folks.

You are correct, however, that it is outrageous and an absolute failure of government.