Tent Cities Grow in Major U.S. Cities, as Poverty, Homelessness Soar

PRESS RELEASE

Tent Cities Grow in Major U.S. Cities, as Poverty, Homelessness Soar

Sept. 12, 2016 (EIRNS)—Homeless encampments and tent cities are cropping up in most major U.S. cities, due to economic disintegration which leads to higher rates of poverty, unemployment and homelessness. According to The Economic Collapse blog, there are currently half a million homeless in the U.S., but the number is increasing on a daily basis.

The proliferation of tent cities in such major cities as Washington, D.C., Seattle, and St. Louis reflects the worsening situation. In California, the homelessness rate is so high that the Los Angeles City Council has asked Gov. Jerry Brown to officially declare a state of emergency. Portland, Oregon has extended its "homeless emergency" for another year.

The creation of tent cities is "booming" in many locations, according to this report, and local officials have no means to deal with the problem. Often, residents are ordered to take down their tents and leave—with nowhere else to go.

The plight of children is particularly dire. The Economic Collapse blog, citing its own archives, reported that since 2008, the number of homeless children has risen by 60%. "Poverty USA" adds that at some point over the last year, 1.6 million children slept either in a homeless shelter or in some other form of emergency housing. Obama calls this a "recovery."

In 27 major U.S. cities, large tent cities have become so well established that they have their own names—Camp Hope in Las Cruces, New Mexico; Camp Take Notice in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Safe Ground in Sacramento, California, and The Jungle, in San Jose, California, are just a few.

The Economic Collapse blog warns that as the economic "downturn" continues to accelerate, "our homelessness boom is going to spiral out of control. Pretty soon, there will be tent cities in virtually every community in America."