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Comment: "drug use and trespassing is criminal activity. And studies have shown that cities that have programs to encourage or enable these activities activities see a larger rise in them then other cities."
My reply: Are we talking about things like safe injection sites or safe supply? Absolutely not—anything that encourages drug use should be removed from our city. Trespassing is a separate issue. The area in question isn’t clearly marked with fences or signage, making it unclear what’s public versus private, especially when it comes to “housing” 800 homeless people. Should we convert the old bus lot into another prison-like compound for the homeless? That big parking lot with its bright overnight lights certainly doesn’t exactly feel cozy (sarcasm intended). What I’d like to see is the entire area redeveloped with structures dedicated to social services, shelter, rehabilitation, and reintegration into society. That empty bus lot could be transformed into two-story tiny homes, offering a graduated program that helps homeless individuals transition from the streets to fully reintegrated members of the community. I actually had a plan for it, which I might still post on my website soon, but after speaking with Calvin Anwender I'm interested in this 'farm' concept he's talked about as well. "Trespassing is criminal activity", not exactly, it might be that legally, but there's a line between trespassing with intent vs trespassing. You can illegally enter a property with the intent to steal something or occupy it when you know it's wrong (like the lobby of a building), versus "I have a tent and here's this grassy area next to the compound I'm not allowed to go in for whatever reason, so, I'm close to what services the city provides but still feel like a human being with my own little bit of earth".
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