Part 6/12:
Instead, critics argue that such rhetoric is used to justify increased funding and community mobilization. The suggestion that homelessness equates to an imminent federal military action is seen as hyperbolic, disconnected from the reality of street violence or public safety threats. Instead, many contend that the city’s true crisis lies in the decimation of the local economy and declining property values—an outcome of permissive policies towards unhindered encampments.