Amid the rising number of people in Chattanooga sleeping on the street on any given night, the city finds itself in a politically fraught position: How should the government and the broader community handle the worsening issue of homelessness?
On its face, the answer, from a purely pragmatic perspective, is rather simple. An unhoused person needs a place to sleep at night, just like anyone else.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with issues of public concern, our city leaders have decided to take a nonsensical, knee-jerk reactive tack: having law enforcement police the issue, an approach to homelessness that is both costly and ineffective.
Per an email obtained by this paper, the Chattanooga Police Department has decided to start more actively enforcing trespassing laws against not just homeless people, but also against social workers aiding this vulnerable population at encampments on private property.
(IN THE NEWS: Chattanooga Police Department email roils homeless outreach groups)