@ISIDEWITHQuestionsHousing IssuesStarted 3yrs agoActive 3wks ago

Should homeless individuals, that have refused available shelter or housing, be allowed to sleep or encamp on public property?

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 76.3k Ireland voters.

55%
Yes
45%
No
38%
Yes
44%
No
17%
Yes, and create more social programs to provide free food, clothing, and medicine
1%
No, and make it a criminal offense

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 76.3k Ireland voters.

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Trend of how important this issue is for 76.3k Ireland voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Ireland voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @B2R487Danswered…3wks3W

Provide social programs to encourage them to get off the street. I would NOT punish poor people who refuse it. I do NOT side with the American style politics.

 @B2QP279answered…3wks3W

I don’t think it should be a criminal offence to be homeless on the street. It is up to the government to help these people. I fully agree with the way they do it in Finland. Housing First is the solution to homelessness in Ireland. I would align with the Social Democratic Party of Finland because they are sympathetic towards the people who are in poverty.

 @B2HRMRKfrom Kyrenia  answered…1mo1MO

No, but shelter and housing must be improved upon so that they it is more favourable for all homeless individuals than encampment on public property.

 @9ZWFCTX answered…3mos3MO

We shouldn’t criminalise homeless people for sleeping in public spaces. More programmes and free amenities should be available for them

 @9ZWFB36answered…3mos3MO

I agree with option 3. It makes total sense as there are many that desperately need it, but officials are discouraged because they always seem to be approaching ones not interested. I think if they don't take on those offers, it's a bad sign for the intent of those people. As such, these individuals if it comes up consistently should be detained in some way (not prison, that's overkill) but some sort of space with professional oversight, as they will probably be safer there than on the streets

 @9ZWDRKJ answered…3mos3MO

Yes and create programs to understand why they refuse shelter and what can we do to reinsert them into the society

 @9ZWC5DZanswered…3mos3MO

Yes because many of the homeless hostels are unsafe for non drug using people, it's not as simple as yes or no, for many people they feel unsafe & many hostels are not managed properly & use security sraff instead of properly trained social care & / community trained staff

 @9ZW8CM6answered…3mos3MO

Homeless people who don’t stay in shelters provided say that it is dangerous with drugs, theft and crime attacks etc so there should be a more thought out solution for homeless shelters

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…5mos5MO

Drug Crisis Prompts Portland to Reboot City Government

In a sign of either hope or desperation, Portland voters decided to throw out their entire government structure and replace it with a weaker mayor, expanded City Council and ranked choice voting.A major driving factor was the passage of “Measure 110” decriminalizing all drugs in 2020, which was backed by 74 percent of Multnomah County’s residents. Voters couldn’t — or at least didn’t — anticipate how this policy change would reshape a city already strapped for money, dealing with a public health crisis and confronting rising rates of homelessness and fentanyl abuse.Drug use shot up, homelessness worsened and taxpayers fled.“Political rhetoric in 2020-2021 in the City of Portland was incredibly ideologically driven,” Gonzalez said, explaining that there was a “default conversation” on topics like homelessness or police reform that shut down an exchange of ideas.The City Council race, meanwhile, is mayhem. Portland is switching from four at-large seats to twelve seats representing four districts. The dozens of candidates include Black Lives Matter leaders, nonprofit advocates, business owners and police officers.There are 19 people running for mayor and 98 people seeking seats on the City Council. They’re nearly all campaigning on left-of-center platforms — this is Portland.Pandemic closures, protests, elevated crime rates and rising homelessness buffeted many liberal cities in recent years, including San Francisco and Minneapolis. But policy choices made by the city and state aggravated their impact in Portland.The ramifications are measurable: Nearly 12,000 people moved out of Multnomah County between 2020 and 2023, per data from Portland State University. The exodus between 2020 and 2021 alone took nearly $1.1 billion in taxable income out of the city, according to data analyzed by the Economic Innovation Group. Portland’s once bustling downtown is nearly empty, and a negative national reputation clouds its economic future.Drug decriminalization and the city’s open camping rules compounded the feeling of insecurity. Homeless encampments spread through empty public spaces and filled sidewalks during the lockdown, and some became epicenters for the fentanyl trade. Even Portlanders who voted for decriminalization and believe in a compassionate approach to homelessness didn’t feel as safe in their own neighborhoods.

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