Someone has started sleeping on the sidewalk next to our house

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's illegal. Call the cops.

Section 22-1307 of the DC Code is the District’s Blocking Passage statute. This law gives MPD officers the authority to prevent crowding, obstructing, or incommoding of public spaces. According to this statute, which was effective June 11, 2013, it is unlawful for one or more persons to crowd, obstruct, or incommode “(A) the use of any street, avenue, alley, road, highway, or sidewalk; (B) the entrance of any public or private building or enclosure; (C) the use of or passage through any public building or public conveyance; or (D) the passage through or within any park or reservation.” MPD officers are required to issue a move along order instructing any person who violates the above statute to cease doing so prior to issuing a citation. The law does not require proof that the person engaging in the activity actually “breached the peace.” Duffee v. D.C., 93 A.3d 1273, 1275 (D.C. 2014)

Congrats, you're part of the problem. Shipping him off to jail is a) counter productive and b) more expensive than housing.

He should be removed. He should not be taken to jail. My children have watched people sh*tting in the alley and doing drugs on the way to school these past two years because of your misplaced attitude. Caring about people and wanting them to be treated humanely doesn't mean letting people live and defecate and do drugs in the streets. That drags the entire society down.

But you voted FOR this.

You are a democrat, no?

I am a democrat who believes we should clear out homeless encampments and that we should take a hard line on drugs on the street as well as public health threats like people defecating in public areas. These things are not contradictory. I believe in a strong social safety net and spending public dollars to house people and get them into rehab and jobs programs. I'm a big government dem who thinks the government as the power and responsibility to help people.

The problem in DC is that you virtually never have an opportunity to vote for people like this. And if you advocate for it people call you racist which aside from being untrue also tends to halt conversation and lead to stalemate.

What I would like to see is a some law and order black political candidates in DC who will take a hard line on this stuff and clean up the city. You can't have a white politician do it -- it is just politically infeasible. I know lots of black people in DC who have this attitude. But none of them are in politics. A lot of the special interest groups will rip people apart if you take this line -- they call you a cop and a racist and say you don't care about people.

It's really frustrating. There is no reason we have to live like this and if we did it right we could be a shining example of how to handle some of these issues in a major city. Though PP is probably right that DC is unlikely to be able to spearhead this movement because of the Congressional oversight issue -- Congressional Republicans will stand in the way even of policies they support because they explicitly want DC as a political football to point out and say "see look at the failed Dem policies." The Hatch Act also stand in our way because it limits who can run for office in a city full of federal workers. And also the lack of a clear path to higher office beyond DC City Council or mayor means ambitious people skip it.

I think DC is kind of locked into this stupidity and it's a shame.

So not actually a democrat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's illegal. Call the cops.

Section 22-1307 of the DC Code is the District’s Blocking Passage statute. This law gives MPD officers the authority to prevent crowding, obstructing, or incommoding of public spaces. According to this statute, which was effective June 11, 2013, it is unlawful for one or more persons to crowd, obstruct, or incommode “(A) the use of any street, avenue, alley, road, highway, or sidewalk; (B) the entrance of any public or private building or enclosure; (C) the use of or passage through any public building or public conveyance; or (D) the passage through or within any park or reservation.” MPD officers are required to issue a move along order instructing any person who violates the above statute to cease doing so prior to issuing a citation. The law does not require proof that the person engaging in the activity actually “breached the peace.” Duffee v. D.C., 93 A.3d 1273, 1275 (D.C. 2014)

Congrats, you're part of the problem. Shipping him off to jail is a) counter productive and b) more expensive than housing.

He should be removed. He should not be taken to jail. My children have watched people sh*tting in the alley and doing drugs on the way to school these past two years because of your misplaced attitude. Caring about people and wanting them to be treated humanely doesn't mean letting people live and defecate and do drugs in the streets. That drags the entire society down.

But you voted FOR this.

You are a democrat, no?

I am a democrat who believes we should clear out homeless encampments and that we should take a hard line on drugs on the street as well as public health threats like people defecating in public areas. These things are not contradictory. I believe in a strong social safety net and spending public dollars to house people and get them into rehab and jobs programs. I'm a big government dem who thinks the government as the power and responsibility to help people.

The problem in DC is that you virtually never have an opportunity to vote for people like this. And if you advocate for it people call you racist which aside from being untrue also tends to halt conversation and lead to stalemate.

What I would like to see is a some law and order black political candidates in DC who will take a hard line on this stuff and clean up the city. You can't have a white politician do it -- it is just politically infeasible. I know lots of black people in DC who have this attitude. But none of them are in politics. A lot of the special interest groups will rip people apart if you take this line -- they call you a cop and a racist and say you don't care about people.

It's really frustrating. There is no reason we have to live like this and if we did it right we could be a shining example of how to handle some of these issues in a major city. Though PP is probably right that DC is unlikely to be able to spearhead this movement because of the Congressional oversight issue -- Congressional Republicans will stand in the way even of policies they support because they explicitly want DC as a political football to point out and say "see look at the failed Dem policies." The Hatch Act also stand in our way because it limits who can run for office in a city full of federal workers. And also the lack of a clear path to higher office beyond DC City Council or mayor means ambitious people skip it.

I think DC is kind of locked into this stupidity and it's a shame.

You basically just described Tim Scott, SC, R

[Anonymous]

OP invite the homeless man into your home. You can unburden him with joy.

[Anonymous]

Keep Voting Democrat, folks!

[Anonymous]

Take the homeless into your home, Dems.

[Anonymous]

Go out to cuddle them on a cold night

[Anonymous]

you dont have to live in a city/dc. i saw an ugly fat person on my way home from the farmers market. what can done?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's illegal. Call the cops.

Section 22-1307 of the DC Code is the District’s Blocking Passage statute. This law gives MPD officers the authority to prevent crowding, obstructing, or incommoding of public spaces. According to this statute, which was effective June 11, 2013, it is unlawful for one or more persons to crowd, obstruct, or incommode “(A) the use of any street, avenue, alley, road, highway, or sidewalk; (B) the entrance of any public or private building or enclosure; (C) the use of or passage through any public building or public conveyance; or (D) the passage through or within any park or reservation.” MPD officers are required to issue a move along order instructing any person who violates the above statute to cease doing so prior to issuing a citation. The law does not require proof that the person engaging in the activity actually “breached the peace.” Duffee v. D.C., 93 A.3d 1273, 1275 (D.C. 2014)

OP never said he was blocking anything.

- former DC prosecutor

[Anonymous]

Why not talk to the homeless guy and get to know him? I'm sure you could offer him some help. If you have a spare bedroom, let him sleep there until you can connect him with some resources to provide a long-term solution. We're the richest nation in the world. It's a shame that we have homelessness here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would watch and move their things when they are gone. And call the police/behavior health/shelter emergency line constantly. I’m all for supporting people but not allowing a homeless encampment to be established by my fence. Because it will never go away. They can camp beneath an underpass or on a median - not on a residential corner.

Don't touch their stuff. That's not legal.

+1 This is terrible advice.

THIs. Is. A MADE UP POST
to incite conflict.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would watch and move their things when they are gone. And call the police/behavior health/shelter emergency line constantly. I’m all for supporting people but not allowing a homeless encampment to be established by my fence. Because it will never go away. They can camp beneath an underpass or on a median - not on a residential corner.

Don't touch their stuff. That's not legal.

+1
And it's cruel! I can't believe anyone would suggest for someone to actually be mean to someone going through hardship. Where have we come as a society?

Honestly, I'd make a brown bag meal and put the address to local public services in there, with a note suggesting they leave or you will call the cops. Then, when that didn't work, I'd call the cops. It does get enforced where I live.

[Anonymous]

We live in Alexandria where sidewalk “camping” isn’t tolerated.

[Anonymous]

Embrace the economic diversity! If you have children, see if your kids might want to get to know this unhoused person by bringing small treats, delivering blankets, maybe invite the person in for a simple meal and to use your shower. Progress to having sleepovers. Initiate conversations where you can advocate for local resources. Does this person have a drivers license? Metro pass? Could you offer your car or carpool to an employment center? Take this person to doctor appointments?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Embrace the economic diversity! If you have children, see if your kids might want to get to know this unhoused person by bringing small treats, delivering blankets, maybe invite the person in for a simple meal and to use your shower. Progress to having sleepovers. Initiate conversations where you can advocate for local resources. Does this person have a drivers license? Metro pass? Could you offer your car or carpool to an employment center? Take this person to doctor appointments?

A lot of them don’t even want help. I have tried offering homeless people food multiple times before and more than 50% of them told me they don’t want it. This was prepackaged food that was unopened. So don’t waste your time trying to be sympathetic for them when most don’t want to help themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you dont have to live in a city/dc. i saw an ugly fat person on my way home from the farmers market. what can done?

Stop looking your mirror