Letters to the Editor: Do conservative judges railing against homelessness rulings have a point?

To the editor: The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling allowing homeless individuals to sit, lie or sleep on public property if not enough housing is available is controversial. But in actuality, there isn’t enough housing for individuals living in cities across the western U.S., so where are these individuals supposed to sleep? (“9th Circuit conservatives blast homelessness ruling, say issue is ‘paralyzing’ U.S. West,” July 6)

In Los Angeles, we have been asking the same question since Martin vs. Boise was decided in 2018. The conservative judges who criticize the 9th Circuit’s rulings on homelessness should be asking instead, “Why not provide more low-income permanent housing?”

Instead of building boutique hotels, build low-income housing. Instead of providing only 10% low-income units in a new development, provide 50% or 100%.

Why allow thousands of renters to be evicted with very little opportunity to find alternate affordable housing? Why does an individual holding a housing voucher have such a hard time finding a landlord who will rent to them?

The esteemed conservative judges need to look at the root causes of homelessness instead of resorting to knee-jerk reactions that do not provide solutions.

Jane Demian, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Thank you to the progressives who have managed to destroy much of Los Angeles. What happened to personal responsibility? Cars get parking tickets or towed away when people leave a vehicle where it does not belong.

Truly homeless people should be required to ask for help, get temporary assistance and be directed to a long-term solution. That might be a cheaper area to go to and job assistance. No free rides. If mentally challenged, a requirement for treatment has to be accepted.

Residents who pay rent or a mortgage should be able to live in peace. Taxpayers fund the transit system but are afraid to use it. Voters keep the same “compassionate” folks who have enabled this crisis in power. It is time to get adults to replace them.

I am glad to have moved up the coast from Los Angeles. I hope our people stay sensible.

Benedict Lucchese, Camarillo

..

To the editor: The outraged response by conservative judges illustrates exactly why homelessness has become such an entrenched problem.

The inability of cities to imprison or otherwise punish those without homes does not leave local governments “helpless” or “paralyzed.” It merely pushes them to do two things: Acknowledge that homeless citizens are human beings with the rights of any other resident, and focus on real solutions.

While jails and other punitive approaches may briefly relieve the fear homeless people often seem to arouse, they don’t actually help — and they are very expensive.

What works? Providing housing. Perhaps given a lack of options, more cities will give it a chance.

Tim Goncharoff, Fairfield, Calif.

..

To the editor: It seems that the left and the right are unified on one basic philosophy — that some problems are just going to be with us forever, so just make the best of it. No sense trying to regulate them.

Of course, it’s homelessness that the left sees this way, while the right sees the gun problem that way.

But at least we’re using the same logic. Is that progress?

R.C. Price, San Clemente