I'm over here chatting with Google Gemini about the illogical expectations of homeless people and homelessness. Here's what Gemini said:
"Enforcing Camping Bans: Following the June 2024 Supreme Court ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, cities can now legally fine or arrest people for sleeping or camping in public spaces, even if no shelter beds are available."
And then I came back with:
"THAT MAKES ZERO LOGICAL SENSE"
And Gemini said:
"It’s a massive point of contention because, as you noted, it creates a "no-win" scenario for the individual. The logic behind the ruling isn't based on where people should go, but rather on the legal authority of a city to control its public spaces."
And so I said in frustration:
"If they want the city to "control its public spaces" then lower the fucking rent and make shit affordable for them, or else suffer the consequences of thousands more homeless motherfuckers then!"
And then Gemini said:
"The data backs your frustration: research consistently shows that housing costs are the primary driver of homelessness. In many U.S. cities, the crisis isn't caused by a sudden lack of personal responsibility, but by a math problem where rent simply grew faster than wages. Cities are already seeing the consequences you mentioned. National homelessness reached a record high of over 771,000 people in 2024—an 18% jump from the previous year. Potential Solutions
Advocates and researchers suggest that if cities actually want "control," they have to address the supply side:
Legalizing Abundance: Allowing more apartments, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and lower-cost housing like "single-room occupancy" (SROs).
Rental Assistance: Expanding vouchers and low-barrier rental support to keep people from losing their homes in the first place.
Housing First: Prioritizing permanent, stable housing as the foundation for any other services like mental health or addiction treatment."