Is the homeless issue all about location?

Earlier today, City officials cited and moved homeless people living on C Street next door to Pedro Hernandez. It took officials over one week to act, which begs the question: is the homeless issue all about location?

Sacramento Bee writer Marcos Breton touched on this topic last week, saying:

The homeless would never be allowed to camp in the Fabulous 40s, Land Park, east Sacramento or any other Sacramento neighborhood where residents have a voice. So the injustice of homelessness is remedied with another injustice: forcing a homeless camp on a person of modest means who can do nothing about it.

It’s hard to imagine the City allowing homeless to camp out in such locations for such extended periods of time; camps at McKinley Park, William Land Park, or Garcia Bend Park would be torn down within hours after setup. Yet this camp was in Mansion Flats, a not so affluent neighborhood, and it took the City over a week to rectify the situation.

So is this all about location? North Sacramento is no stranger to the homeless; for years they’ve set up camp under bridges and along the light rail tracks. There are also many vacant lots – even along Del Paso Blvd – for the homeless to set up camp.

This is reminiscent of what Bob Slobe said earlier this year when discussing tent city:

Homelessness will not go away any time soon, but we can no longer burden our working poor and their open spaces with the full weight of the problem. It is a burden to be shared by all.

Hopefully, the City can find a safe place for the homeless to reside.

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