“It Was Like I Lost Everything”: The Harmful Impacts of Homeless-Targeted Policies

The Growth and Shifting Spatial Distribution of Tent Encampments in Oakland, California

“…Tent encampments’ benefits, like autonomy and security, are contingent on their stability (Cohen, Yetvin, and Khadduri 2019; Loftus-Farren 2011). Sweeps by local governments can harm encampment residents beyond just the loss of these benefits (Darrah-Okike et al 2018; Gowan 2010). This study found encampments’ stability varied widely in Oakland.…”

“…A strong public backlash against tent encampments in the Bay Area has been evident through news reports, public polling, and complaints to city services (Herring 2019; Jones et al 2015). Tent encampments more visibly and durably occupy public space than people otherwise experiencing homelessness on the streets or in vehicles, capturing traditionally housed people’s scrutiny (Darrah-Okike et al 2018; Wasserman and Clair 2010). In a recent poll of Bay Area voters, only 33 percent responded that “homeless people have the right to live in public places like parks and sidewalks if there isn’t enough housing to shelter them” (Kendall 2020).…”

“…These possessions can be costly to replace, and their loss inhibits working or obtaining services. Those experiencing sweeps have described them as demoralizing and dehumanizing, alienating them from the local government and service agencies (Darrah-Okike et al 2018; Gowan 2010; Herring 2019; Jones et al 2015). In short, the negative consequences of encampment sweeps, or even their looming threat, compound residents’ existing hardships.…”

“…However, encampments also carry risks, including health risks and potential displacement due to “sweeps” by local governments. Many of the benefits and risks of encampment residence are structured by local governments’ reactions, which often reflect the wishes of locally housed residents and local businesses (Darrah-Okike et al 2018; Herring 2014; Speer 2017; Wasserman and Clair 2010).…”

Homeless Interactions with the Built Environment: A Spatial Pattern Language of Abandoned Housing

“…Stuart [20] examined differences among policing of homelessness in prime versus marginal urban spaces. Focusing on urban parks and marginal spaces, research has employed theories concerning dominant strategies of urban space control by those in authority versus localized tactics of resistance by the powerless, following Lefebvre, Foucault, Soja, and Harvey (e.g., [21][22][23][24][25]). The authors examined spatial responses by homeless persons when faced with exclusion, repression, and displacement.…”