I have to say that I find little pragmatism in asserting that either tent encampments <i>or</i> more permanent housing may be of more worth, when the fact is that both are necessary to combat our homelessness issue as it exists right now.<p>Real people, right now, are living in tents in the woods somewhere because that's all they can afford. Many, if not most, are hiding there in fear of being kicked out of yet another living space. Tent encampments remedy this issue.<p>Just to be clear, I am speaking of government organized encampments, with access to clean water and toilets. Not just tons of tents in the middle of some street somewhere.<p>There are many, many days in the year...surely some of them can go to solving homelessness from both vantage points.
Before the days of tent-encampments there were plenty of people who rented small spaces in well-made but old, cheap hotels (c.f. Barton Fink). Helluva lot better than a tent. Then along came the wrecking balls.<p>One of my ancestors lost her husband just before the depression. For a couple of decades, she took in 'boarders' who held or found jobs because of that opportunity. They'd remember the rules, or else. There was even had a nice parlor up front for them to sit listen/read/visit in - all in a house with about 1000 sq.ft.
There's a theme of overbearing control of autonomy that is probably going to reach a breaking point soon. When every move we make is held hostage, ordinary people start to think radical thoughts. I curse the supreme court every time my girlfriend makes me pull out, and before that I cursed the city of Pine Bluff every day because they are preventing me from repairing or using a building I own.<p>I'm sure this incompetent overreach is going to end in bloodshed. There are only a couple of boxes of liberty left to choose from.