Kari Lake Commentary: Ending Homelessness in Arizona

by Kari Lake

 

Arizona is a state defined by limitless potential, a spirit of boundless liberty, and exceptional care for our neighbors. But Arizona’s political leadership has failed by plunging our cities into a crisis of unhelpful compassion and false sincerity. Throughout this campaign, and in my previous job as an Arizona journalist , I’ve had the opportunity to explore almost every inch of this beautiful state. And I’ve seen with dawning horror the growing homelessness crisis afflicting our cities. As Governor, I’ll protect our citizens from crime by ending this crisis and restore dignity to the homeless our political class has turned their backs on.

To start, we must empower police to bring order to our streets and protect our citizens from the affliction of homelessness: crime, sexual assaults, human trafficking, and public intoxication. Public spaces like parks and city sidewalks are not taxpayer sponsored reservations for the mentally-ill and drug addicted. We had tent cities in Arizona before, ironically, the left weren’t big fans of those back then. These spaces are a part of our communities and our homes. Commuters should never have to worry they’ll be mugged or carjacked, parents should never fear for their child’s safety at the park, and women should never fear potential sexual assault on our streets. We can quickly restore order by implementing a statewide urban camping ban, enhancing quality-of-life law enforcement, and aggressively arresting, and prosecuting, homeless individuals who break the law. Safety must come first, and Arizona must not be allowed to deteriorate into a dead city like San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C.

Unlike the current “Housing First” advocates, I’ll lead our state out of this crisis. Not with faux-compassion, but with common sense. Housing First proponents claim the rhetorical moral high ground but have condemned our most vulnerable citizens to lives of substance abuse, squalor, and eventual death in the streets. We must address housing practically through investment in alternative shelters, expansion of permanent shelter facilities, and temporary support programs designed to prevent homelessness. We also have to recognize another reality of homelessness that current leadership won’t. Illness and substance abuse, not affordable housing shortages, drive the vast majority of homelessness. In fact, the overriding common denominators in our homeless population are Severe Mental Illnesses and Diagnosed Substance Abuse. Rather than dumping more taxpayer money into callous, ineffective housing bureaucracies we should seek to implement cutting-edge treatment. Through voluntary treatment, involuntary medical treatment, and involuntary criminal treatment paths we can help our vulnerable and empower them to live fulfilling, productive lives free of affliction. Under my plan the homeless are much likelier to be arrested, but are also much likelier to find themselves in the hands of someone who cares. These are hard choices, but we live in hard times. Ensuring the well-being of our fellow Arizonans is paramount.

To be successful, Arizona must pursue key structural changes in our approach to homelessness. Housing First advocates are polluting our approach with billions of taxpayer dollars and bureaucratic corruption. Rather than throwing taxpayer money into a bureaucratic black hole, Arizona should invest an additional $50 to $100 million over three years in treatment and homelessness prevention with the long-term goal of reduction and cost savings. Our current system enables and enhances homelessness, creating a self-feeding spiral of misery that benefits bureaucracy but hurts the needy. Now, aided by a cottage industry of left-wing housing lawyers and lobbyists, judges have ruled to strip our cities of their basic rights to address the crisis. We will work all over Arizona to defeat these judges and the infrastructure backing them. When I’m Governor, I will put pragmatic solutions and what’s best for the people over woke, social experimentation.

Arizona can do better, and under my leadership, we WILL do better. Solving Chronic homelessness won’t be easy, but doing the right thing rarely is. It will take grit and compassion, qualities I have in spades. I will strive to make real change, not only for those Arizonans who are confronted by this crisis but also for those condemned to live it. We will lift up the homeless and provide them the opportunities denied to them by a misguided system. It’s the only just course of action for a truly great state like ours.

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Kari Lake, former anchor for Fox 10 News in Phoenix, became a symbol of truth in journalism when she walked away from the mainstream media. She is now running for governor of Arizona.
Photo “Kari Lake” by The Kari Lake. Background Photo “Arizona State Capitol” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY 2.0.