The article discusses Baby Lady, a 39-year-old woman who has been homeless for nearly eight years due to PTSD and anxiety. She prefers to live in outdoor encampments rather than shelters, where she feels unsafe. Experts indicate that individuals like her constitute a minority of the homeless, yet face significant risks. Local governments in the Bay Area, frustrated by resistance to shelter acceptance, are imposing stricter policies to compel the unhoused into shelters or clear encampments. This has sparked debates about the balance between public safety and humane treatment of the homeless.
Baby Lady, a 39-year-old homeless woman, struggles with PTSD and anxiety, feeling unsafe in shelters and choosing outdoor encampments despite officials’ pressure to accept shelter.
Experts acknowledge that individuals like Baby Lady represent a minority of the homeless population, yet they are often entrenched in high-risk situations and utilize emergency services excessively.
In the wake of a Supreme Court ruling, cities such as San Mateo County and San Francisco are increasingly adopting strict policies to compel unhoused individuals into shelter.
Local frustrations with shelter refusals have manifested in policies targeting outdoor encampments, raising concerns over the effectiveness and humanity of punitive measures against the homeless.
Collection
[
|
...
]