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Appendix 1

Survey Questions

Advocates, service providers, and/or people experiencing homelessness were surveyed in each of the cities and asked the following questions:

(1) How has your city’s treatment of homeless people changed over the past year?

(2) How are anti-homeless ordinances, laws that prohibit acts that homeless people have to do in public because they live outdoors (e.g. camping, sleeping, panhandling) or any laws that are aimed at clearing the streets of homeless people, being enforced in your city?

(3) Are there any more general laws (e.g. drug-free zones, jaywalking, or sitting on the sidewalk) used or misused to target homeless people? Please cite examples.

(4) Have there been any recent sweeps of homeless people in your city and are they conducted in certain areas? Please cite examples.

    1. Are local government officials seeking to decrease visibility of homeless people and are there any laws being considered or used that do that?
    2. If your city has any Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), how are homeless people treated within these districts?
    3. Are sweeps connected to any major athletic, political events or other special occasions?
    4. Other?

(5) How many anti-homeless citations/arrests were issued in your city over the last two years?

(6) Is there anyone in your city bringing litigation challenging anti-homeless laws or policies? If so, do you have any contact information?

(7) Are there any constructive alternatives?

    1. police sensitivity/awareness trainings? Who provides the trainings?
    2. successful public education or grassroots organizing campaigns?
    3. other?

Please provide quotes from homeless people, advocates and/or service providers that describe civil rights abuses in your city.

The following questions are optional depending if this information can be easily accessed (anecdotal information is fine):

    1. Have there been any incidences of violence and/or hate crimes against homeless people?
    2. What is your city spending to arrest, cite or harass homeless people compared to providing emergency services (e.g. shelter, food, benefits) or long-term solutions to homelessness (e.g. affordable housing, treatment on demand)?
    3. How many homeless people have died in your city over the last year?
    4. What resources, or lack thereof, does your city have for homeless people with substance abuse or mental health issues?
    5. Is your city considering creating special courts that target homeless people with mental health/chemical dependency issues?
    6. Where else in your state are there civil rights abuses occurring toward homeless people? Do you have any contact information for groups that are documenting, organizing or advocating around homeless civil rights issues?

7. Anything else you want to add?

Full report in .pdf form | Introduction | Background | Methodology | Problem Statement/Consequences of Criminalization | Model Programs | Conclusions & Recommendations | The Cities Included in this Report | Meanest Cities | Narratives of the Meanest Cities | Narratives of the Other Cities | Prohibited Conduct Chart | Survey Questions | Incident Report Form: English & Incident Report Form: Spanish | Sources