The Lede tipped us off to a developing story in Sacramento, where a homeless tent-city encampment is getting larger by the day. As ticked-off neighbors call for a crackdown, Sactown mayor (and former NBA All-Star) Kevin Johnson has issued a forward-thinking call to establish a permanent settlement. Although we understand that local homeowners will continue to have serious reservations, we’d love to set a pick for Mayor Johnson if he has the guts to take his plan to the hoop.
The physical presence of a tent city serves to increase the visibility of the homeless, who are perhaps our society’s single most overlooked population. As the recession continues to make headlines by punishing the middle class, it can become increasingly easy to ignore those scraping by at the margins. A permanent encampment would therefore address two symbiotic missions: sheltering the homeless, and raising awareness of their plight.