There is not enough housing available that is affordable to people whose only income is whatever the minimums the government can provide.
Accordingly they're homeless. There's also not enough temporary shelters for people who are homeless, so the only option is to sleep in a tent outdoors.
Sleeping in a tent outdoors is against the law.
So in effect there is no real alternative for these persons but to break the law.
Supreme Courts in Canada (unsure on the USA) have noted this fact, that people have literally no choice but to break the law, and have accordingly ruled that cities are not legally able to stop people from setting up tents in public land (parks) if there is no other housing options available. (Cities are however able to put time limits on tenting in parks)
There is not enough housing available that is affordable to people whose only income is whatever the minimums the government can provide.
Accordingly they're homeless. There's also not enough temporary shelters for people who are homeless, so the only option is to sleep in a tent outdoors.
Sleeping in a tent outdoors is against the law.
So in effect there is no real alternative for these persons but to break the law.
Supreme Courts in Canada (unsure on the USA) have noted this fact, that people have literally no choice but to break the law, and have accordingly ruled that cities are not legally able to stop people from setting up tents in public land (parks) if there is no other housing options available. (Cities are however able to put time limits on tenting in parks)