SAN JOSE - In a startling move, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has floated the idea of criminalizing homelessness by suggesting that individuals who refuse shelter should face arrest. Yes, you read that right! This proposal comes amidst a year where it felt like our state leaders were switching lanes faster than a cat on a hot tin roof when it comes to homeless encampments and civil rights.

Mahan, in what can only be described as an exercise in sheer absurdity, stated that one out of three people offered housing turn it down. So naturally, his solution is to throw those individuals behind bars. Never mind that there are roughly 6,000 unhoused individuals in San Jose and not enough beds for even a fraction of them. But hey, why let facts get in the way of a good, punishing idea?

Somewhere amidst all this illogic, UC Berkeley law professor Laura Riley jumped in, pointing out that it’s not only impractical but downright inhumane to arrest people for not accepting inadequate shelter options. This echoes the 2018 Ninth Circuit decision in Martin v. Boise, which established that penalizing individuals for being homeless when shelter options are scarce is utterly cruel and unusual. Imagine that, a court reinforcing that sleeping is a biological necessity, not a crime. Shocking, I know!

In further circus-worthy shenanigans, a recent federal case in Vallejo pits 64-year-old Evelyn “Brown Sugar” Alfred against an effort to dismantle her makeshift home. A federal judge has halted the city’s attempts, siding with her in a classic David versus Goliath story that reminds us how essential humanity’s dignity is.

This unfolding saga also has the same eerie feeling as growing statistics show that while Mayor London Breed touted a 60% drop in visible tents in San Francisco during campaign season, only a measly 10% of those interactions with homeless individuals have resulted in shelter acceptance. Go figure?

So here we are, folks! With criminalizing our unhoused populace being suggested by politicians who clearly need a serious reality check. Is it too much to ask for our leaders to focus on lifting people up instead of locking them up? The tide may be turning, but let’s hope it turns toward compassion, not calamity.