On April 15, the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board published an editorial opposing the passage of HB 1429, state legislation that would prevent local governments in Illinois from fining or arresting people experiencing homelessness for life-sustaining activities like sleeping or eating on public property. The editorial’s misguided arguments against the bill prioritize addressing the discomfort that housed neighbors feel seeing people with no other options seek shelter in public spaces, with complete disregard for real, sustainable solutions.
The Editorial Board acknowledges, “Homelessness is punishing in itself without the fear of being fined or arrested simply for surviving outdoors.”
Punishing people for experiencing homelessness doesn’t change the fact that they have nowhere else to go. Chicago’s emergency shelters are frequently at capacity, and even when they are not, there are many reasons why the available options may not align with the needs of people living in encampments. Many congregate shelters are gendered, requiring separation of families or couples who rely on each other for survival. Shelter hours may not align with existing employment; they may not be able to accommodate beloved pets; or the shelter may be far from community and connections that have been established nearby, among other concerns. The Editorial Board acknowledges the need for “adequate shelter and services,” but fails to name the real solution to homelessness—safe, stable housing. We cannot punish people out of frustration over the fact that we have failed to provide adequate solutions.
Counter-productive responses like fines and arrests only further isolate and marginalize people experiencing homelessness, creating additional barriers when attempting to secure housing or employment. Having a ticket or arrest on your record can dissuade a landlord from providing a lease or an employer from offering a job.
More than forty municipalities across the state have these “anti-camping” ordinances in place, the second highest total in the nation behind only California. Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness looked into the impacts of these ordinances and found that frequently people are ticketed repeatedly without any change to their housing status. Additionally, when ticketed or summoned to court, people experiencing homelessness often lack the resources to appear or pay the ticket.
While the Editorial Board argues that this bill “prioritizes the rights of unsheltered individuals without equally addressing the effects on other people who use public spaces,” we would argue the Board is willfully ignoring the root causes of homelessness and the fact that HB 1429 does not hinder cities’ ability to address legitimate health and safety concerns. We encourage the board to seek answers from service providers, advocates, and people with lived experience who truly understand what sustainable solutions look like and work with us to advocate for those solutions.
Until we have enough housing that is accessible for everyone who needs it, people need a place to exist, be in community, and survive. Illinois needs HB 1429.
