Faith Leaders Raise Call for Housing, Not Hand Cuffs

By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware | Word In Black (WIB) – It’s a scene that plays out far too often across America — people living on the streets, with nowhere to call home, face fines, tickets, and even jail time simply for existing in public spaces. This cruel reality was at the heart of a recent protest at the steps of the Supreme Court, where advocates demanded an end to the criminalization of homelessness. Rev. William J. Barber II, president of Repairers of the Breach, an organization that builds and supports moral movements for social change and several other groups that advocate for unhoused people — including the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities — rallied outside the court, raising the cry for “Housing, Not Handcuffs.” RELATED:& Reverend& Barber’s& Bold Vision: A Vote Revolution Among the Poor “Instead of arresting unhoused people and fining them for sleeping in parks, we should be investing in more affordable housing and less tax cuts for the greedy,” Barber said. “Instead of trying to push poor people to the next town, we need to demand living wages in every town, city,...