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15 Most Inhumane Ways That Cities Try To Fight Homeless People From Sleeping In Public Places
Hostile architecture. You might not be familiar with the term, but you've probably seen it in action. Those spikes on the window ledges, designed to keep the birds away. Or, in a more sinister fashion, things like strategically-placed armrests or rocky floors, cynically installed to ensure that vulnerable people in need of shelter are forced to look elsewhere.
Not only are homeless folks discriminated against directly and culturally, but also structurally too. These exclusionary designs, denying people even the right to find a place to rest, are a stark illustration of our society's collective disregard for basic humanity. Surely we can do better than this?
This heartbreaking list, compiled by Bored Panda, shows some of the most offensive examples of 'anti-homeless' designs, and it will make you ever so grateful for that roof over your head. Because it seems that if misfortune strikes and you should one day happen to lose it, you are most certainly not welcome to try and find a place to sleep on the streets. Scroll down to see what we mean for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
You’ve Got To Be The Worst Kind Of Heartless Twat If You Can Go Around Slashing Homeless People’s Tents
boredhuman 6 years ago
Homeless or not, wanderer or CEO, you simply don't destroy someone else property. This make me so angry.
RELATED:
#2
Someone Installs These Poles To Prevent The Homeless From Sleeping Here, They Find A Solution Anyways
#3
Modern Problems Require Modern...oh Wait
#4
When You’re Inclusive But Still Hate The Poor
#5
Anyone Else Find This Ironic?
#6
An Eyecatching Response To Mumbai’s Homelessness Crisis
Fish Boden 6 years ago
Fark, can you imagine accidentally falling on it. They hate the beggars and the homeless so much they create a hard-core public danger.
#8
This Man Removed 'Anti-Homeless' Devices From Benches And Ended In Court
#9
Cut In The Shape Of An Obelisk, They Are Installed On A Private Site In Paris. Imagine A Homeless Man Who Would Lose Balance In The Middle Of This Work Of 'Art'? Or A Child?
#10
The Worst Example Of Anti-Homeless Architecture I've Ever Seen
#11
Man Sleeping On A Anti-Homeless Bench
#12
More Anti Homeless Spikes....so Much For Community Spirit
#13
Anti-Homeless Architecture
Bianka Howwess 6 years ago
Worker: What should we do about the homeless population? Boss: I don't know, put a bunch of d**k-shaped green things everywhere. Worker: Won't that look bad? Boss: Add some wierd rocks to it, then!
#14
When You Wanna Look Inclusive But Hate Homeless People
#15
There Are A Few Different Varieties But They All Serve The Same Purpose
#16
Montreal Has Probably The Least Subtle Implementation Of Hostile Architecture I Have Ever Seen
#17
How To Avoid Homeless People To Sleep In Public Places
#18
Anti-Homeless Architecture
#19
Oh Yeah, Let’s Create More Hostile Architecture
#20
Metro Stop Bench Is Tilted So Attempting To Lay Down Ends Up With You Sliding Off
Maya Baggins 6 years ago
It is that way so you can stand but have some (butt)support at the same time
#21
Mumbai's Hdfc (Fort Branch) Installs Anti-Homeless Spikes To Tackle The Homelessness Crisis
#22
London Shops Put "Anti Homeless Spikes" To Stop The Homeless From Sitting In Their Buildings
#23
According To Last Figures, Madrid Counts Over 2700 Homeless Persons Which Encounter A Bombastic City Replete With Hostile Architecture At Bus Stops, Private Shops And Public Buildings And Parks
#24
This One Is In China
#25
I Like To Think That We Are Better Than This. Architecture That Discriminates Against An Already Marginalized Population Is The Laziest Way To Address The Issue Of Homelessness. If We, As A Public Health Provider, Resort To Doing This, What Kind Of Example Are We Setting?
Carol Emory 6 years ago
Although I think shoving homeless people out is deplorable..I can understand them not wanting a homeless person to sleep on and intake or exhaust vent. It could majorly screw up machinery that's linked to that grate.
#26
Spotted This Abomination In La
#27
Fanciest Hostile Architecture I’ve Seen In Person
#28
What Even Is This?
#29
Not Exactly An Environmentalist Post Today, But What Do You All Think Of Anti Homeless Infrastructure? I Feel Like It Isn't Talked About A Lot. These Spikes Were Installed With The Malicious Intent To Prevent A Homeless Person From Sleeping On The Side Of The Street
#30
I've Never Seen So Many Spikes - NYC
#31
Return To Hostile Architecture?
#32
Armrests For Comfort. Totally Not To Stop Homeless People Lying Down...
Katarzyna Sak 6 years ago
You just see one point of view "don't let homeless people lay on bench", look other way - in this case this is also a great help for older people, seniors, who need these kind of armrest to get up, it's very common and sometimes even required in regulations.
#33
No Hanging Out In The Corner
Monika Soffronow 6 years ago
This is against drunks peeing in the corner and if it is an area close to bars or pubs, then I do understand.
#34
Confused Lumbar Support For One Bar Support
#35
In Paris Large Stones Placed Under Bridge To Stop Refugees From Sheltering Or Sleeping Near The Official Camp
#36
Another Portland “Bench” (Cesar Chávez Blvd). Kills My Eyes (And Back) Just Looking At That Seating Angle
#37
These Lovely Seats In A Paris Metro Station.
#38
Bench In Clearwater Beach, Florida
rhyan lumilay 6 years ago
Four people can seat on that if they didn't put that arm rest there.
#39
Flat Ventilation Grate Level With Ground; Homeless Slept On It For Warmth. A Few Months Ago The Grate Was Reno'd With A Slope
#40
Anti-Homeless Architecture
#41
Anti Homeless Spikes
#42
Anti-Homeless Architecture
Monika Soffronow 6 years ago
This is another anti drunks measure. It is to stop loudmouth drunk people spilling out from bars to sit and have noisy in the middle of the night conversations.
#43
Newly Built “Benches” Spotted In Riverdale Park East
#44
Tonight, We Noticed A Theatre Had These Removable Anti-Homeless Spikes In Their Doorway
#45
Aritistic Anti-Homeless Bench
#46
Hostile Architecture By Madison Square Park: Benches Built At An Incline, Rendering Sleep For Houseless People Impossible
#47
Don't Sit Here - Anti-Homeless Bench In Mall
#48
Anti-Homeless Architecture
#49
Anti-Homeless Architecture
#50
Installed Around Paris, Unsure Of Exact Purpose
François Bouzigues 6 years ago
It avoids people peeing. And this kind of corners are perfect for ambushing, or kick the hell out of someone.
#51
This New York City Bench
#52
Anti-Homeless Architecture
#53
Anti-Homeless Architecture
Marie Stanford 6 years ago
Don’t see how someone could sleep there if the spikes weren’t there?
#54
At Least It Looks Cool
#55
Anti-Homeless Architecture
Cahit Andaç 6 years ago
I don't think this is about homeless people. Because it looks like there's no shelter above, or it doesn't look like a place to sleep for homeless people. it's just ordinary pavement and decorated with some stones to fill the gap.
#56
Tiny Benches In Utah
#57
Anti-Homeless Architecture
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Tony Weldon 6 years ago
I think if I owned a business I'd do the same, I don't want it smelling of p**s, s**t and littered and putting customers off. If your all so angry and disgusted with places that do make it hard for the homeless to sleep in their doorways, invite them to sleep in your gardens, shed, apartment, homes, No... I thought not.
Full Name 6 years ago (edited)
It's not "discrimination". It's literally the opposite of that. It's not saying "These specific people can't......" it's putting everybody under the same rules. I GUARANTEE you hypocrites wouldn't like some strangers sleeping on your front porch every night.
Kevin Camp 6 years ago
I have compassion, but as someone who cannot get to my apartment without being accosted by homeless people, without having to step over piles of trash and piles of s**t from homeless people I can sympathize with the people who own the property, have to maintain the property and clean up after them. And by accosted, I do not mean begging for money, I mean threatening you for money, having them grab at your personal items, demanding you give them a ride somewhere. I promise this, none of you who complain about this have to daily pick up piles of s**t left on your doorstep, have to mop up pools of urine and vomit every single day. Aren't afraid to let your kids go outside alone because they will be groped or verbally assaulted. Not every homeless person is this way, but like everything else in this world a few ruin it for everyone.
Clinton Yew 6 years ago
Isn't it kinda hypocrite to shame the anti-homeless stuff when most of us here won't even invite a homeless person to stay in our home for a long period of time?
Jeff Requier 6 years ago
A Lot of this kind of thing started as anti skateboarders, so you cant rail slide or grind
Hans 6 years ago
Fix the reasons that make people homeless and you do not need any of these. And now do not tell me homeless people are those that are to lazy to work. My own experience is that many seem to struggle with physical and mental illnesses, and addiction can be a factor. The price societies pay for NOT including them again is way higher than admited.
Liz Karsa 6 years ago
I live in Oakland, CA where the homeless crisis has indeed exploded due to the high cost of housing. Like everyone else I am tired of this problem but I have no power really to do anything. Except I do- as do you . I have started to befriend the homeless that I see on a routine basis, getting to know them and helping where I can. This is Daryl and I. To be honest I don't know how long he has been on streets but I do know that every Saturday I can find him sitting by the post office and I come deliver him some food, a few bucks and whatever he asked for the previous week - items such as aspirin or hand sanitizer. I am not rich by any sense of the word but stopping to talk 3 years ago has created a great friendship between us. Again I don't know his whole story but every time i see him I am greeted with a huge hug and at least 30 minutes of great conversation. Kindness goes a long way. The homeless are humans. Care about this crisis. One day it could be you. 41299974_1...75ddfa.jpg 
Demi Zwaan 6 years ago
So just because you don't want someone sitting on your windowsill, it's anti-homeless? Anyway, we have social security here and plenty of help, so no one needs to be homeless. Some choose to be though and I'm fine with people making sure they can't sleep where they are a nuisance. In the US however, where you just leave your poor people to die in the gutter, you should be ashamed. Not of these spikes, but because of your ridiculous attitude of 'everyone for themselves' and f**k you if you are poor.
Elizabeth 6 years ago
Most of these are pretty bad. All of the pictures of vents that are topped make perfect sense though. There is equipment that needs those vents to function and anything blocking them could force a boiler to overheat and explode. I can't call that mean to homeless when they are trying to prevent insanely expensive breakdowns.
Daniel R. 6 years ago
Not sure how it is in the rest of the world, but in the US a good chunk of the homeless population is made up of military veterans - especially those with mental illnesses.
Jeff Requier 6 years ago
Businesses Dont want homeless people hanging around asking people for money and will just have security or the police having said homeless removed. Instead of bitching and crying about this why dont you DO SOMETHING to get them SLEEPING INSIDE?? Indignation is all that you feel you need to do? NO you cant sleep on benches; you know what happens when you sleep on public benches? You get robbed or killed, not a safe place.
Nunya 6 years ago
Cities always seem to cast homeless folk as villains who deserve to be driven out of society. But in some cities, it's so hard to live there that folks are just a paycheck away from homelessness themselves. And worse, with a government and law enforcement that seem to thrive on privacy invasion, immigration round-ups, and the stress of living in a nation of the supposedly "free", it's no wonder so many would actually CHOOSE to be homeless. But to make it impossible to do something as simple as sleep is just horrid. It's inhumane. It's cruel.
April Simnel 6 years ago
Before I was born, the US had hospitals for the mentally ill to be cared for. Then the patients were turned out in the 70s and 80s, the hospitals were all closed instead of improved, and that tax money went...? Why are our tax dollars paying to shore up rich corporations and rich people like Betsy deVos who don't need it, while they pay hardly any tax, if any at all (and don't b******t me, their accountants are ON IT to find every possible loophole). Where is all the money going? Some of it was meant to help my fellow citizens who can't take care of themselves. We here are lucky to have sound minds and bodies, to be resilient from abuse, to not have PTSD from war. If the rich got a $90BN tax cut last year, then we have the money in the US to solve this problem. People need homes and care. Where is the political will? When there's a will, then something is done. Why is there political will to wage war and give tax cuts to billionaires, but not to get the homeless off the streets?
Foxxy 6 years ago (edited)
What a way to knock someone when they are already down. Maybe if the governments put the money used for these anti homeless devices into better homeless services then hopefully we can see a reduction in homelessness. These people are human beings not trash. It makes me so angry and sad that some people are so heartless to do these kind of things. Grrrrrrr In saying that many of these were not anti homeless some were just designed to be interesting and artistic etc.
Ethan Liu 6 years ago
I am going to say a couple of things most people do not know. In most major cities there are lots of homeless shelters. I volunteer in one of them. Most of the people in the homeless shelter are very nice and are actively working to escape homelessness. However there are rules in the homeless shelter such as no drugs, no drinking, focus on getting jobs, focus on getting a high school diploma or GED, no active criminal warrant, and a chore schedule. Now the shelter i volunteer at is fully volunteer run so the people in the shelter needs to help out. The problem is a lot of the homeless i see do not want to follow these rules. Most of them want to continue to do what they want and often refuse to go to rehab so there is no choice for them to live on streets.
Podunkus 6 years ago
Irrespective of your sentiments on homelessness, it is important to distinguish between the public accommodations in these photos versus what property owners may have chosen to do regarding architectural details with their own private property. Private property is not a public accommodation.
Kaisu 6 years ago
It breaks my heart that people would be this intentionally cruel to people who have already hit the rock bottom
Holly Stevens 6 years ago
My church has covered steps and landing on the side of the building that aren't really used. They knew homeless sheltered there and did their best to accommodate them since we're down the street from the shelter and needle exchange. But after a cleanup removed over 200 needles thrown up on the overhang, the city actually asked the church to put up a gate. Providing unsafe unsupervised outdoor areas doesn't help people
Jason Doakes 6 years ago
Of course it's not OK to sleep and p**s in front of a business entrance, of course it's not OK to scare away customers, of course it's not OK to have a quasi-corpse sitting on your porch. BUT... instead of spending money with cruel and ugly spikes or intersecting benches, how about you pay that money into a fund so that the city can pay for social services for homeless people or, you know, crazy idea, PREVENT that people become homeless. Treating people like cattle until they break and then prohibiting them to even exist while they try to merely survive is some high-level cruelty, but I'm sure the cynical a**wipes that think this is OK went to a soup-kitchen once, on thanksgiving, helping serve some turkey to the homeless to feel good about themselves, good for you, nobody noticed you panicking about catching an illness.. Some businesses spend incredible amounts of money for useless marketing campaigns, spending it to help their city help the homeless would yield a priceless image-hike
Joannie Goulet 6 years ago
This is sad but in some circumstances those are necessary. I don't hate the homeless, but I don't want them leaving syringes in my yard for my kids to find. It can also make sure they don't try to access dangerous areas. I wish there were more (and better) resources for them to turn to.
Catherine Spencer-Mills 6 years ago
If you don't want homeless people camping out, then find them a home. Problem solved. No I can't take them in, I only a couple of steps from being homeless myself. I can't move into an apartment - make too much for HUD, make not enough for "low income" housing.
Edo Alva 6 years ago
While putting aside the hypocrite commenters. I know this is such a mean gesture, but to be fair.. It's easy to imagine that 'SOME' (mind the apostrophe) homeless people will left trash, display bad image for businesses, and generally speaking, create uncomfortable sight for community. No one like that, wouldn't we?
FABULOUS1 6 years ago
I think that like in most situations the case is sometimes one bad apple spoil it for the entire bunch. While some are just looking for shelter, others are looking for shelter while causing destruction to the property. One night my daughter was doing laundry in our building and walked back up stairs to get an extra quarter within minutes a homeless lady locked herself in the laundry room and tried to barricade the door and of course it freaked my daughter out. i would of felt bad do to it being a cold night however this same lady would c**p and p**s in the laundry room and destroy the property. So while some of these seem cruel good chance that the owners and the city got fed up cleaning up after them daily. We have a severe homeless problem in this country and these people arent just going to disappear. while some dont want to be on the streets, for others it has become a way of life for them.
Pokémon Spears 5 years ago
here where I live, we don't have that kind of things, but we do have lots of homeless people. When I was in high school, there were three schools in the same area, a huge part of the student population had to cross a bridge to take the public transportation on the other side of the boulevard. The other end of the bridge turned out to be the house of some homeless people (we never actually saw them, but we would always have to walk through their garbage, p**s and feces. They would send people from the government to clean it with a hose, only to get dirty by the next morning. Years later I got a job precisely on that side of the road, and I had to walk that same bridge every morning to get to my workplace, and the problem still persisted. I don't think it's up to the businesses or parks to solve homelessness, it should be the governments who should take these people to shelters or asylums. Putting spikes isn't any more cruel than wanting people to keep sleeping on the streets
Ivy Ruonakoski 5 years ago
In my country we don't really have people sleeping in the rough. The people who are deemed homeless are still living indoors, on friends couches or government temporary housing etc. Can't recall seeing any spikes like these either. What we do get is drunk people passing out on benches etc. Gross.
Christina Kempf 6 years ago
I do agree no one wants anyone on thier property or gardens pissing and s******g thier but it has to be fixed the good old USA who gives money by the billions to country's who hate us give the money to solve fix get rid of the homelessness help them get them off the streets ur property shelters aren't always the answer housing let the president fix it he likes fixing other country's problems fix ours first
Darren White 6 years ago
Well Tony Wilden that's where we're difference we've got a heart u peace of s*** you must be a government worker one of many they don't give a f*k I bet if the shoe was on the other foot you would want somewhere to rest your tired body after walking around all day searching for your next feed so get your head out of your a**e and look at the clear future we were all not born with a silver spoon hanging out our mouth and the government of today wants to be sacked and not reinstated and let the public do the government's work for them didn't there wouldn't be any homelessness just remember when you go to bed with somebody how many people will you be sleeping with
Pacifico Fernandez 6 years ago
Every time I visit a new big city I see all kinds of camping people on the streets. They are not homeless, sometimes just disgusting hippies, thinking they are living the dream by traveling for free. If you are in need of shelter why the heck you have to do it at the very center of the city? Why not go to a quieter place. They literally sleep, urinate, drug themselves and drink alcohol on the street in front of all the visitors. They are not in need if they choose to stay in front of the most famous landmarks. I am afraid to enter buildings with "homeless" people in front and they are usually anything but polite. I don't think those precautions are outrageous. As everyone says - if you don't want to personally host homeless people, don't judge the owners of private properties for protecting their buisness and homes.
Meami 6 years ago
It's interesting. Homelessness is a global issue. People get so angry about it. I do not know what the solution is. So much is caused by mental illness. I've heard housing first has improved the situation in many areas but not in all. I think it's important to start having these conversations.
Bored Lazy Lizzy 6 years ago
The thing is not only do the homeless have to deal with the anti homeless discrimination against them, they still at the end of the day need to go somewhere to sleep.
Stephanie Hewitt 6 years ago
Lol, so you people all enjoy going into work and having to step over needles and passed out people? Or take your kids to a park with a homeless guy sleeping on the benches?
Lulik 6 years ago
I feel quite confused with this article and I agree with the comments below - in Cracow we have a lot of places, where homeless people can eat, sleep in a bed or take a shower. They even can help them find some job. But there is one condition - they can't be drunk. And guess what? A lot of them prefer to sleep in a park, on benches or even in the middle of the sidewalk, but with vodka or beer with. I don't want to generalize and I know that there is a lot of people that became homeless in the result of an unfortunate twist of events but do not confuse "homeless" with "drunkard"...
Tracy McEwen 6 years ago
designs are not friendly to anyone using urban space. I've noticed in the last 10 to 15 years it is harder to find places to rest in the core.
Katinka Min 6 years ago
Living in a place with an ever growing amount of homeless people in parks, underground stations and entrances and I can tell you: The smell and the shouting will make you become a lot less empathic over time. People need to take a sh*t and the do that outside. They ar ehomeless because they serious issues - that often does not make for friendly neighbours. In my city we do have places for many kinds of homeless people - even some low threshhold ones where you can drink booze and do drugs. We don't have enough, but eventually you will find a place. But especially the ones with tents don't WANT to live in a housing situation. I can never sit down while wating for my train. there are smelly people on every bench. Yes, they are much worse off than me but it is still very tiring to live with.
Aisha Charnock 6 years ago
I think this is illegal in Australia brb, gonna check. Can't find anything like it on Google but I don't think it's legal here in NSW. But in most states it's illegal to do begging 🤷
Anna Zirkel 6 years ago
Ok, iam pretty sure, that some of the is anti homeless inventions aren't against homeless.
TheDivineMs.M 6 years ago
Maybe instead of complaining and ridiculing, you could do something... help the homeless instead... you never know when you might be one of them
Beau Cooke 6 years ago
Obviously you've never had to wait at a bus stop where the smell of urine literally make you sick.
IWishIWasBob 6 years ago
I think that on business property, it’s okay to have these. Because, business. However, I think that under bridges and things like that should be ok for homeless to sleep under. It gives them shelter. Also, maybe have some signs somewhere to show where homeless people homes (places to house the homeless) are? Maybe people can’t find them.
Sedef Özüpek 6 years ago
Most of them are obvious but some of them are just you nitpicking "how dare they put armrests on a bench or decorations in front of their building?! They should make king size benches and put pillows and duvets on them instead!"
Jus 6 years ago (edited)
I don't agree with this article. My country gives A LOT of opportunity to homeless people. Free shelter, food, clothes, shower, they help them find a job, even an apartment. They don't have to pay for public transportation. They get legal advice for free. One only must not drink alcohol and obey the simple rules. Seriously, most won't accept help. They want to be "free". Free from duties, society rules like being clean, working, taxes. I feel sorry for people who lost home, family, reason to live. But if they want help, there is help. No need to sleep outside. At least in my country.
Katerina Huskova 6 years ago
You may call me cynical b***h but I don't want drunk or drug addicted people to sleep in front of house where my kids live, study or where I work.
Jakub Koziorek 6 years ago
Sorry, but benches are not for sleeping, don't care if you are homeless or not, just don't sleep on them. Plus, most homeless people are dirty, it's a fact, you don't want to sit on bench that smells of p**s or something similar.
Sterrinatu 6 years ago
I use to work in a downtown area full of homeless. They typically slept on our door step under cover and left by morning. However, they also defecated there every night. After years of cleaning the door step they finally put a fence up to keep them out. I can't say I blame these business owners. They have to make a living too and things like that affect business.
CbusResident 6 years ago
Homelessness is a constellation of several difficult, expensive societal problems. As I said below, I recently talked to a social worker whose clients are the homeless. He said the cost of standard quality housing is $80k per person, and his clients often also need mental health counseling and/or psychiatric drugs - so you're talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars to really help most of them. Even with all of that, some of them still will have little or no mental health progress, will still insist on sleeping outside. And before you condemn the property owners and govts. who've created the above architecture ask yourself this: would you let homeless people sleep in your house or front or back yard or garden or garage? If the answer is no, don't condemn those who've made the same choice here.
bee pot 6 years ago
just...what do the cities want the homeless population to do? disappear? it'd be different if we had a surplus of empty shelters buuut we don't. at least in my state. our shelters are always packed. this behavior and attitude towards homelessness is inhumane. to everyone saying would you like a stranger sleeping on your porch? I don't mind. I don't mind the homeless population camping right down the street from me either. they are quiet and keep their camp relatively clean, although they could probably do better if my city had more public trash bins! and the only ruckus that's caused in the camps are cops harassing them to move or teenagers giving them a hard time. i have been one paycheck away from homeless. the problem is our whole damn system. people shouldn't have to live like this.
Carol Emory 6 years ago
How about we use all the money from those anti-homeless devices to..I dunno..BUILD SHELTERS?!?
Bianca Hart 6 years ago
Some of these benches have those handrails to help elderly or disabled people sit down and get up, but yes, generally people suck.
Bianca Hart 6 years ago
Some of the benches have those handrails to help elderly or disabled sit down and get up, but yes people suck.
K. Blanchette 6 years ago
The comments and the pictures in this isn't are completely wack. Y'all need a sociology class.
Šimon Špaček 6 years ago
If you want to help, buy some cheap wood and styrofoam and build them a shelter on your own property. It cost about 40 dollars and takes 30 minutes of work. Let me know how long it will take before you will take it away because of smell. Or fire.
Andrew P Jump 6 years ago
Arm rests are a human rights violations? Puh-lease! I don't blame businesses for putting spikes out front of their stores; they don't want any impeding human waste or perhaps smelly homeless from ruining their livelihood. It's a shame the author doesn't want to see any other perspective.
Id row 6 years ago
Look what's happening to San Fransisco - they are being overwhelmed by homeless people, there is s**t and p**s, garbage and needles all over the sidewalks. They swear at pedestrians and try to hit people up for money outside businesses who are just trying to get a cup of coffee. It stinks and it's a health hazard. Major businesses who've had their conventions there for many years are now starting to pull out and book elsewhere. The city is losing a lot of revenue. I get that being homeless sucks, it's my worst nightmare, but you can't just set up camp on a sidewalk or in front of a business. The federal government needs to step in as these cities need help. Don't blame the businesses, parks and private property owners for not wanting to host them.
Ida Aho 6 years ago
I would like to point out that if people sleep on benches they would take same spece as 2-4 people sitting. That just isn’t good use of money or space, and do remember that those are limited resources that are also needed elsewhere. Many groups of people enjoy or even need to rest middle of running errands or just having a walk. Stopping homeless from dominating benches is taking lots of others and their needs in consideration.
Mark CM 6 years ago (edited)
F**k the homeless. Useless brainless scabs. I can think of numerous solutions to sleeping outdoors if I had to. And none of them involves sleeping and pissing on and around public benches and shop steps and entrances.
Linnéa Gustafsson 6 years ago
The trainstation has done this, so i dont go there any more. To be this mean to those who have nothing.........Think about it when you are planning to get children, they have to be able to pay for the right to exist, can you provide for them their whole life, or will they end up not even be able to lay down?
Daniel (ShadowDrakken) 6 years ago
We spend a lot of tax money on shelters, food banks, etc. SO I'm kind of okay with this. I've talked to homeless in Florida, and most of them just refuse to use the social services that are available. That's on them, not us. We should keep providing those services for those that need it, but that doesn't mean you can just take over public space. A lot of these folk get violent if you just ask for a place to sit, as if they owned the space.
Tony Weldon 6 years ago
I think if I owned a business I'd do the same, I don't want it smelling of p**s, s**t and littered and putting customers off. If your all so angry and disgusted with places that do make it hard for the homeless to sleep in their doorways, invite them to sleep in your gardens, shed, apartment, homes, No... I thought not.
Full Name 6 years ago (edited)
It's not "discrimination". It's literally the opposite of that. It's not saying "These specific people can't......" it's putting everybody under the same rules. I GUARANTEE you hypocrites wouldn't like some strangers sleeping on your front porch every night.
Kevin Camp 6 years ago
I have compassion, but as someone who cannot get to my apartment without being accosted by homeless people, without having to step over piles of trash and piles of s**t from homeless people I can sympathize with the people who own the property, have to maintain the property and clean up after them. And by accosted, I do not mean begging for money, I mean threatening you for money, having them grab at your personal items, demanding you give them a ride somewhere. I promise this, none of you who complain about this have to daily pick up piles of s**t left on your doorstep, have to mop up pools of urine and vomit every single day. Aren't afraid to let your kids go outside alone because they will be groped or verbally assaulted. Not every homeless person is this way, but like everything else in this world a few ruin it for everyone.
Clinton Yew 6 years ago
Isn't it kinda hypocrite to shame the anti-homeless stuff when most of us here won't even invite a homeless person to stay in our home for a long period of time?
Jeff Requier 6 years ago
A Lot of this kind of thing started as anti skateboarders, so you cant rail slide or grind
Hans 6 years ago
Fix the reasons that make people homeless and you do not need any of these. And now do not tell me homeless people are those that are to lazy to work. My own experience is that many seem to struggle with physical and mental illnesses, and addiction can be a factor. The price societies pay for NOT including them again is way higher than admited.
Liz Karsa 6 years ago
I live in Oakland, CA where the homeless crisis has indeed exploded due to the high cost of housing. Like everyone else I am tired of this problem but I have no power really to do anything. Except I do- as do you . I have started to befriend the homeless that I see on a routine basis, getting to know them and helping where I can. This is Daryl and I. To be honest I don't know how long he has been on streets but I do know that every Saturday I can find him sitting by the post office and I come deliver him some food, a few bucks and whatever he asked for the previous week - items such as aspirin or hand sanitizer. I am not rich by any sense of the word but stopping to talk 3 years ago has created a great friendship between us. Again I don't know his whole story but every time i see him I am greeted with a huge hug and at least 30 minutes of great conversation. Kindness goes a long way. The homeless are humans. Care about this crisis. One day it could be you. 41299974_1...75ddfa.jpg
Demi Zwaan 6 years ago
So just because you don't want someone sitting on your windowsill, it's anti-homeless? Anyway, we have social security here and plenty of help, so no one needs to be homeless. Some choose to be though and I'm fine with people making sure they can't sleep where they are a nuisance. In the US however, where you just leave your poor people to die in the gutter, you should be ashamed. Not of these spikes, but because of your ridiculous attitude of 'everyone for themselves' and f**k you if you are poor.
Elizabeth 6 years ago
Most of these are pretty bad. All of the pictures of vents that are topped make perfect sense though. There is equipment that needs those vents to function and anything blocking them could force a boiler to overheat and explode. I can't call that mean to homeless when they are trying to prevent insanely expensive breakdowns.
Daniel R. 6 years ago
Not sure how it is in the rest of the world, but in the US a good chunk of the homeless population is made up of military veterans - especially those with mental illnesses.
Jeff Requier 6 years ago
Businesses Dont want homeless people hanging around asking people for money and will just have security or the police having said homeless removed. Instead of bitching and crying about this why dont you DO SOMETHING to get them SLEEPING INSIDE?? Indignation is all that you feel you need to do? NO you cant sleep on benches; you know what happens when you sleep on public benches? You get robbed or killed, not a safe place.
Nunya 6 years ago
Cities always seem to cast homeless folk as villains who deserve to be driven out of society. But in some cities, it's so hard to live there that folks are just a paycheck away from homelessness themselves. And worse, with a government and law enforcement that seem to thrive on privacy invasion, immigration round-ups, and the stress of living in a nation of the supposedly "free", it's no wonder so many would actually CHOOSE to be homeless. But to make it impossible to do something as simple as sleep is just horrid. It's inhumane. It's cruel.
April Simnel 6 years ago
Before I was born, the US had hospitals for the mentally ill to be cared for. Then the patients were turned out in the 70s and 80s, the hospitals were all closed instead of improved, and that tax money went...? Why are our tax dollars paying to shore up rich corporations and rich people like Betsy deVos who don't need it, while they pay hardly any tax, if any at all (and don't b******t me, their accountants are ON IT to find every possible loophole). Where is all the money going? Some of it was meant to help my fellow citizens who can't take care of themselves. We here are lucky to have sound minds and bodies, to be resilient from abuse, to not have PTSD from war. If the rich got a $90BN tax cut last year, then we have the money in the US to solve this problem. People need homes and care. Where is the political will? When there's a will, then something is done. Why is there political will to wage war and give tax cuts to billionaires, but not to get the homeless off the streets?
Foxxy 6 years ago (edited)
What a way to knock someone when they are already down. Maybe if the governments put the money used for these anti homeless devices into better homeless services then hopefully we can see a reduction in homelessness. These people are human beings not trash. It makes me so angry and sad that some people are so heartless to do these kind of things. Grrrrrrr In saying that many of these were not anti homeless some were just designed to be interesting and artistic etc.
Ethan Liu 6 years ago
I am going to say a couple of things most people do not know. In most major cities there are lots of homeless shelters. I volunteer in one of them. Most of the people in the homeless shelter are very nice and are actively working to escape homelessness. However there are rules in the homeless shelter such as no drugs, no drinking, focus on getting jobs, focus on getting a high school diploma or GED, no active criminal warrant, and a chore schedule. Now the shelter i volunteer at is fully volunteer run so the people in the shelter needs to help out. The problem is a lot of the homeless i see do not want to follow these rules. Most of them want to continue to do what they want and often refuse to go to rehab so there is no choice for them to live on streets.
Podunkus 6 years ago
Irrespective of your sentiments on homelessness, it is important to distinguish between the public accommodations in these photos versus what property owners may have chosen to do regarding architectural details with their own private property. Private property is not a public accommodation.
Kaisu 6 years ago
It breaks my heart that people would be this intentionally cruel to people who have already hit the rock bottom
Holly Stevens 6 years ago
My church has covered steps and landing on the side of the building that aren't really used. They knew homeless sheltered there and did their best to accommodate them since we're down the street from the shelter and needle exchange. But after a cleanup removed over 200 needles thrown up on the overhang, the city actually asked the church to put up a gate. Providing unsafe unsupervised outdoor areas doesn't help people
Jason Doakes 6 years ago
Of course it's not OK to sleep and p**s in front of a business entrance, of course it's not OK to scare away customers, of course it's not OK to have a quasi-corpse sitting on your porch. BUT... instead of spending money with cruel and ugly spikes or intersecting benches, how about you pay that money into a fund so that the city can pay for social services for homeless people or, you know, crazy idea, PREVENT that people become homeless. Treating people like cattle until they break and then prohibiting them to even exist while they try to merely survive is some high-level cruelty, but I'm sure the cynical a**wipes that think this is OK went to a soup-kitchen once, on thanksgiving, helping serve some turkey to the homeless to feel good about themselves, good for you, nobody noticed you panicking about catching an illness.. Some businesses spend incredible amounts of money for useless marketing campaigns, spending it to help their city help the homeless would yield a priceless image-hike
Joannie Goulet 6 years ago
This is sad but in some circumstances those are necessary. I don't hate the homeless, but I don't want them leaving syringes in my yard for my kids to find. It can also make sure they don't try to access dangerous areas. I wish there were more (and better) resources for them to turn to.
Catherine Spencer-Mills 6 years ago
If you don't want homeless people camping out, then find them a home. Problem solved. No I can't take them in, I only a couple of steps from being homeless myself. I can't move into an apartment - make too much for HUD, make not enough for "low income" housing.
Edo Alva 6 years ago
While putting aside the hypocrite commenters. I know this is such a mean gesture, but to be fair.. It's easy to imagine that 'SOME' (mind the apostrophe) homeless people will left trash, display bad image for businesses, and generally speaking, create uncomfortable sight for community. No one like that, wouldn't we?
FABULOUS1 6 years ago
I think that like in most situations the case is sometimes one bad apple spoil it for the entire bunch. While some are just looking for shelter, others are looking for shelter while causing destruction to the property. One night my daughter was doing laundry in our building and walked back up stairs to get an extra quarter within minutes a homeless lady locked herself in the laundry room and tried to barricade the door and of course it freaked my daughter out. i would of felt bad do to it being a cold night however this same lady would c**p and p**s in the laundry room and destroy the property. So while some of these seem cruel good chance that the owners and the city got fed up cleaning up after them daily. We have a severe homeless problem in this country and these people arent just going to disappear. while some dont want to be on the streets, for others it has become a way of life for them.
Pokémon Spears 5 years ago
here where I live, we don't have that kind of things, but we do have lots of homeless people. When I was in high school, there were three schools in the same area, a huge part of the student population had to cross a bridge to take the public transportation on the other side of the boulevard. The other end of the bridge turned out to be the house of some homeless people (we never actually saw them, but we would always have to walk through their garbage, p**s and feces. They would send people from the government to clean it with a hose, only to get dirty by the next morning. Years later I got a job precisely on that side of the road, and I had to walk that same bridge every morning to get to my workplace, and the problem still persisted. I don't think it's up to the businesses or parks to solve homelessness, it should be the governments who should take these people to shelters or asylums. Putting spikes isn't any more cruel than wanting people to keep sleeping on the streets
Ivy Ruonakoski 5 years ago
In my country we don't really have people sleeping in the rough. The people who are deemed homeless are still living indoors, on friends couches or government temporary housing etc. Can't recall seeing any spikes like these either. What we do get is drunk people passing out on benches etc. Gross.
Christina Kempf 6 years ago
I do agree no one wants anyone on thier property or gardens pissing and s******g thier but it has to be fixed the good old USA who gives money by the billions to country's who hate us give the money to solve fix get rid of the homelessness help them get them off the streets ur property shelters aren't always the answer housing let the president fix it he likes fixing other country's problems fix ours first
Darren White 6 years ago
Well Tony Wilden that's where we're difference we've got a heart u peace of s*** you must be a government worker one of many they don't give a f*k I bet if the shoe was on the other foot you would want somewhere to rest your tired body after walking around all day searching for your next feed so get your head out of your a**e and look at the clear future we were all not born with a silver spoon hanging out our mouth and the government of today wants to be sacked and not reinstated and let the public do the government's work for them didn't there wouldn't be any homelessness just remember when you go to bed with somebody how many people will you be sleeping with
Pacifico Fernandez 6 years ago
Every time I visit a new big city I see all kinds of camping people on the streets. They are not homeless, sometimes just disgusting hippies, thinking they are living the dream by traveling for free. If you are in need of shelter why the heck you have to do it at the very center of the city? Why not go to a quieter place. They literally sleep, urinate, drug themselves and drink alcohol on the street in front of all the visitors. They are not in need if they choose to stay in front of the most famous landmarks. I am afraid to enter buildings with "homeless" people in front and they are usually anything but polite. I don't think those precautions are outrageous. As everyone says - if you don't want to personally host homeless people, don't judge the owners of private properties for protecting their buisness and homes.
Meami 6 years ago
It's interesting. Homelessness is a global issue. People get so angry about it. I do not know what the solution is. So much is caused by mental illness. I've heard housing first has improved the situation in many areas but not in all. I think it's important to start having these conversations.
Bored Lazy Lizzy 6 years ago
The thing is not only do the homeless have to deal with the anti homeless discrimination against them, they still at the end of the day need to go somewhere to sleep.
Stephanie Hewitt 6 years ago
Lol, so you people all enjoy going into work and having to step over needles and passed out people? Or take your kids to a park with a homeless guy sleeping on the benches?
Lulik 6 years ago
I feel quite confused with this article and I agree with the comments below - in Cracow we have a lot of places, where homeless people can eat, sleep in a bed or take a shower. They even can help them find some job. But there is one condition - they can't be drunk. And guess what? A lot of them prefer to sleep in a park, on benches or even in the middle of the sidewalk, but with vodka or beer with. I don't want to generalize and I know that there is a lot of people that became homeless in the result of an unfortunate twist of events but do not confuse "homeless" with "drunkard"...
Tracy McEwen 6 years ago
designs are not friendly to anyone using urban space. I've noticed in the last 10 to 15 years it is harder to find places to rest in the core.
Katinka Min 6 years ago
Living in a place with an ever growing amount of homeless people in parks, underground stations and entrances and I can tell you: The smell and the shouting will make you become a lot less empathic over time. People need to take a sh*t and the do that outside. They ar ehomeless because they serious issues - that often does not make for friendly neighbours. In my city we do have places for many kinds of homeless people - even some low threshhold ones where you can drink booze and do drugs. We don't have enough, but eventually you will find a place. But especially the ones with tents don't WANT to live in a housing situation. I can never sit down while wating for my train. there are smelly people on every bench. Yes, they are much worse off than me but it is still very tiring to live with.
Aisha Charnock 6 years ago
I think this is illegal in Australia brb, gonna check. Can't find anything like it on Google but I don't think it's legal here in NSW. But in most states it's illegal to do begging 🤷
Anna Zirkel 6 years ago
Ok, iam pretty sure, that some of the is anti homeless inventions aren't against homeless.
TheDivineMs.M 6 years ago
Maybe instead of complaining and ridiculing, you could do something... help the homeless instead... you never know when you might be one of them
Beau Cooke 6 years ago
Obviously you've never had to wait at a bus stop where the smell of urine literally make you sick.
IWishIWasBob 6 years ago
I think that on business property, it’s okay to have these. Because, business. However, I think that under bridges and things like that should be ok for homeless to sleep under. It gives them shelter. Also, maybe have some signs somewhere to show where homeless people homes (places to house the homeless) are? Maybe people can’t find them.
Sedef Özüpek 6 years ago
Most of them are obvious but some of them are just you nitpicking "how dare they put armrests on a bench or decorations in front of their building?! They should make king size benches and put pillows and duvets on them instead!"
Jus 6 years ago (edited)
I don't agree with this article. My country gives A LOT of opportunity to homeless people. Free shelter, food, clothes, shower, they help them find a job, even an apartment. They don't have to pay for public transportation. They get legal advice for free. One only must not drink alcohol and obey the simple rules. Seriously, most won't accept help. They want to be "free". Free from duties, society rules like being clean, working, taxes. I feel sorry for people who lost home, family, reason to live. But if they want help, there is help. No need to sleep outside. At least in my country.
Katerina Huskova 6 years ago
You may call me cynical b***h but I don't want drunk or drug addicted people to sleep in front of house where my kids live, study or where I work.
Jakub Koziorek 6 years ago
Sorry, but benches are not for sleeping, don't care if you are homeless or not, just don't sleep on them. Plus, most homeless people are dirty, it's a fact, you don't want to sit on bench that smells of p**s or something similar.
Sterrinatu 6 years ago
I use to work in a downtown area full of homeless. They typically slept on our door step under cover and left by morning. However, they also defecated there every night. After years of cleaning the door step they finally put a fence up to keep them out. I can't say I blame these business owners. They have to make a living too and things like that affect business.
CbusResident 6 years ago
Homelessness is a constellation of several difficult, expensive societal problems. As I said below, I recently talked to a social worker whose clients are the homeless. He said the cost of standard quality housing is $80k per person, and his clients often also need mental health counseling and/or psychiatric drugs - so you're talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars to really help most of them. Even with all of that, some of them still will have little or no mental health progress, will still insist on sleeping outside. And before you condemn the property owners and govts. who've created the above architecture ask yourself this: would you let homeless people sleep in your house or front or back yard or garden or garage? If the answer is no, don't condemn those who've made the same choice here.
bee pot 6 years ago
just...what do the cities want the homeless population to do? disappear? it'd be different if we had a surplus of empty shelters buuut we don't. at least in my state. our shelters are always packed. this behavior and attitude towards homelessness is inhumane. to everyone saying would you like a stranger sleeping on your porch? I don't mind. I don't mind the homeless population camping right down the street from me either. they are quiet and keep their camp relatively clean, although they could probably do better if my city had more public trash bins! and the only ruckus that's caused in the camps are cops harassing them to move or teenagers giving them a hard time. i have been one paycheck away from homeless. the problem is our whole damn system. people shouldn't have to live like this.
Carol Emory 6 years ago
How about we use all the money from those anti-homeless devices to..I dunno..BUILD SHELTERS?!?
Bianca Hart 6 years ago
Some of these benches have those handrails to help elderly or disabled people sit down and get up, but yes, generally people suck.
Bianca Hart 6 years ago
Some of the benches have those handrails to help elderly or disabled sit down and get up, but yes people suck.
K. Blanchette 6 years ago
The comments and the pictures in this isn't are completely wack. Y'all need a sociology class.
Šimon Špaček 6 years ago
If you want to help, buy some cheap wood and styrofoam and build them a shelter on your own property. It cost about 40 dollars and takes 30 minutes of work. Let me know how long it will take before you will take it away because of smell. Or fire.
Andrew P Jump 6 years ago
Arm rests are a human rights violations? Puh-lease! I don't blame businesses for putting spikes out front of their stores; they don't want any impeding human waste or perhaps smelly homeless from ruining their livelihood. It's a shame the author doesn't want to see any other perspective.
Id row 6 years ago
Look what's happening to San Fransisco - they are being overwhelmed by homeless people, there is s**t and p**s, garbage and needles all over the sidewalks. They swear at pedestrians and try to hit people up for money outside businesses who are just trying to get a cup of coffee. It stinks and it's a health hazard. Major businesses who've had their conventions there for many years are now starting to pull out and book elsewhere. The city is losing a lot of revenue. I get that being homeless sucks, it's my worst nightmare, but you can't just set up camp on a sidewalk or in front of a business. The federal government needs to step in as these cities need help. Don't blame the businesses, parks and private property owners for not wanting to host them.
Ida Aho 6 years ago
I would like to point out that if people sleep on benches they would take same spece as 2-4 people sitting. That just isn’t good use of money or space, and do remember that those are limited resources that are also needed elsewhere. Many groups of people enjoy or even need to rest middle of running errands or just having a walk. Stopping homeless from dominating benches is taking lots of others and their needs in consideration.
Mark CM 6 years ago (edited)
F**k the homeless. Useless brainless scabs. I can think of numerous solutions to sleeping outdoors if I had to. And none of them involves sleeping and pissing on and around public benches and shop steps and entrances.
Linnéa Gustafsson 6 years ago
The trainstation has done this, so i dont go there any more. To be this mean to those who have nothing.........Think about it when you are planning to get children, they have to be able to pay for the right to exist, can you provide for them their whole life, or will they end up not even be able to lay down?
Daniel (ShadowDrakken) 6 years ago
We spend a lot of tax money on shelters, food banks, etc. SO I'm kind of okay with this. I've talked to homeless in Florida, and most of them just refuse to use the social services that are available. That's on them, not us. We should keep providing those services for those that need it, but that doesn't mean you can just take over public space. A lot of these folk get violent if you just ask for a place to sit, as if they owned the space.
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