Progress

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Calif. Senate OKs homeless civil rights protection
San Jose Mercury News - ‎Aug 23, 2010‎

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Attacks on the homeless could violate California's civil rights law under a bill approved by the state Senate.
The bill passed Monday would let the state's estimated 157,000 homeless sue for higher damages if they are targeted for assault because they are transient.
Democratic state Sen. Leland Yee of San Francisco called the bill a civil rights issue.
The bill, AB2706, designates the homeless as a protected class, but stops short of declaring attacks on the homeless as hate crimes.
It passed on a 21-12 vote, without debate. It now returns to the Assembly for final action

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13.6 percent increase in homelessness since 2007

D.C.: At least four city shelters have been closed since 2004 with just one having been replaced. There has been a 13.6 percent increase in homelessness since 2007 in spite of the creation of the Permanent Supportive Housing program. There has been a drastic reduction in the amount of affordable housing citywide. Housing isn't any closer to being a realized human right than it was five years ago. And, from what I can see, most of those who were working on making housing a human right in D.C. have put such efforts on the back burner.