Wealthy San Francisco tech investors bankroll bid to ban homeless camps

There's an explicit 24h limit before they get kicked out and the entirety of their assets gets confiscated. On the flip side there's no timeline for providing shelter beds and a one-way bus ticket is deemed equivalent.

This is inhumane.

This feels like wealthy people wanting to erase the daily reminders about inequality so that they don't have to think about it.

If the supporters of this measure really cared about homelessness, there would be provisions for actual reintegration into society instead of just a stick. But that costs money and effort.

Something similar was actually tried already in the Soviet Union and in other Communist/Socialist countries with regards to Gypsies. (it didn't target them specifically and instead all homeless, but policy makers had this group in mind)

Laws were implemented that would force them to live in (free) government assigned apartments and accept government assigned jobs.

This policy failed because you can't force someone to like or accept a lifestyle they don't want. They just run away at the first opportunity. You can offer them different opportunities and some might accept it, but as far as I know this is already being done.

What is funny though about this article is that many of the SF tech billionaires are themselves immigrants from former Communist countries or children of these immigrants. Many of their statements seem to indicate that they believe in technocrat rule and some kind of artificial betterment of people that can be achieved through education and policy. (which often translates into propaganda and use of force if you ask me)

It's interesting how values can persist throughout generations, even if you move to a different continent.

Oh yeah - what if there is a homeless colony right next to your current house? Would you say the same thing then?

I want to point out that this measure does not take effect until there is actual open housing in which to send homeless folks. They cannot be told to leave otherwise. Since there is no funding for new housing in this measure, there is some chance the removal measures outlined here will never get to be used. This means shelter will be guaranteed to anyone who is told to leave.

That said, my political club voted against this measure because the 24 hour time frame is way too short and does not meet federal standards for managing homeless population. It takes more time to engage with a homeless person and negotiate what sort of help would be best for them.