Stop stigmatizing homeless New Yorkers

If there is one thing we have learned over the past four decades, it is that New York City cannot police its way out of the homelessness crisis.

Far too often, homeless New Yorkers are subject to unnecessary interactions with law enforcement — and sometimes actual arrest — for things that you or I might do every day, such as placing a bag on a subway seat or relaxing in a public space. We know that such interactions make it significantly more difficult for outreach workers to engage those individuals and earn their trust.