First They Came for the Homeless is Making the Wait for Affordable Housing Better for All

Homeless people have no choice but to build sandcastles right next to the ocean. Like the tide, the police and the city manager’s crew inevitably appear with trucks to sweep their castles and goods away. In Berkeley, that property is sent to a landfill anytime from immediately to three days later - long before the displaced residents have been able to secure a new location for any possessions they might be able to claw back from the City. This is at odds, as we explain below, with any program intended to end homelessness.

When we are forced out on the street, the smart thing to do is to form impromptu social compacts for shared security with others in the same situation - to compound our ability to resist urban predators.. First They Came for the Homeless has responded to the dearth of affordable housing options and support services by organizing our society of shunned people: disallowing drug and alcohol abuse within our occupations, dividing tasks (e.g., acquisitions, clean-up, police liaise, night-watch, outreach, treasury). As this is written, proof of our well-managed camp can be found on the Adeline lawn-median at Stuart St. in Berkeley. By divvying-up the tasks of day-to-day survival, First They Came for the Homeless allows our participants time and support for the tasks of moving out of homelessness. Less time is needed for shifting our belongings and setting up shelter. Our money is used more effectively, so the need of fund-raising is significantly decreased. We help each other keep appointments and process paperwork. We distribute food donations from stores and restaurants. We reduce the stress of homelessness, which can otherwise trigger erratic behavior.

This organizing work increases the security of the participating homeless people; yet, it is continually kicked over by municipal authority. The reasons commonly cited for dispersing our occupations are illegal drug use/distribution and unsanitary conditions in and around the camps. Any visitor to our occupation can see these complaints are not valid. Despite the absence of toilet and washing facilities, and without visits from Berkeley Waste Disposal, we are maintaining a clean and safe community where alcohol and illegal drug use are not tolerated and where visitors are greeted cordially. Another complaint we hear is that homeless encampments are unsightly, having a negative effect on commerce and making permanent residents feel unsafe. In responding, we must first insist that the existence of homelessness be acknowledged as a persistent and difficult problem to solve. Given that, aren’t clean and safe organized occupations like that of First They Came for the Homeless better than the alternative of a dispersed homeless population whose movements are more difficult to keep track of?

For those who point out that homeless encampments place an unjust burden on some neighborhoods to the benefit of others, we offer the following solution: that areas be designated around cities like Berkeley for regular rotation of homeless villages. These villages would have a temporary presence in the neighborhoods, relieving permanent residents of anticipating an entrenched blight on their communities. Portable toilets, dumpsters, and mobile washing facilities could be moved to each location. Case workers for relief services would know where to find clients. Mail could be delivered to these sites. By being able to anticipate moving day, residents of these homeless villages could retain their property and make an orderly shift to the new location. Each move would not be a potentially violent interaction with law enforcement. The resources of city governments designated for homeless abatement would be spent more effectively.

The best solution to growing homelessness is to increase the availability of decent housing for people who, for many tragically-real reasons, are locked out of the housing market. While waiting for truly affordable units to become available, First They Came for the Homeless is modeling an expedient solution to the housing crisis that respects the concerns of housed communities and that, we believe, deserves their respect in return.

When you’re in the area of our occupation - currently at Adeline and Stuart St. - we hope you’ll visit.