The city council’s discussion of how to penalize the homeless for illegal camping is a waste of time (“Vancouver’s Homeless Crisis: City might decriminalize camping,” Aug. 29). A better use of their time would be to find or create locations where the homeless can camp 24/7. No one should have to carry all their possessions around town all day. Everyone needs a base to work from. Close a few dead-end streets or a park or two, if necessary, and allow people to camp there all hours until better options can be built.
It will take time to develop long-term affordable housing. People need places to rest their head today. The mountain men of long ago could camp anywhere. Today, people in dire straits cannot find any place to camp.
