Congressman Carter Speaks Out Against Criminalizing Homelessness

BATON ROUGE, LA - Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) released the following statement:

"Let us be clear about what we are discussing. Homelessness is not a crime. It is a condition. It is the visible evidence of systems that have failed too many of our people. Failed access to affordable housing. Failed mental health care. Failed substance abuse treatment. Failed economic opportunity. And, at times, a failure of compassion.

"We should not criminalize the consequences of those failures.

"HB 211 does not solve homelessness. It relocates it. It hides it. It pushes people from one block to the next, from one parish to another, from one jail cell to the next. That is not policy. That is avoidance.

"You cannot arrest your way out of poverty. You cannot cite your way out of mental illness. You cannot fine someone into stability when they have nothing to begin with.

"What this bill risks doing is deepening the very crisis it claims to address. A criminal record makes it harder to get a job. Harder to find housing. Harder to access services. In other words, harder to ever get back on your feet.

"And let us not ignore the fiscal reality. It is far more expensive to process, detain, and cycle individuals through the criminal justice system than it is to invest in housing, treatment, and prevention. If we are serious about being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, this is the wrong direction.

"But beyond dollars and data, there is a deeper question before us. Who are we?

"Are we a state that turns its back on the most vulnerable, or one that leans in with solutions rooted in dignity and common sense?

"Because the truth is, homelessness can happen to anyone. A lost job. A medical emergency. A family crisis. A veteran returning home without support. A young person aging out of foster care. These are not criminals. These are our neighbors.

"If we truly want to address homelessness, then let us do the hard work. Invest in affordable housing. Expand mental health services. Strengthen workforce pathways. Support local partnerships that are already doing the work on the ground.

"That is how you solve a problem.

"Not by handcuffs. Not by citations. Not by pretending that punishment is a substitute for policy.

"I urge this committee to reject House Bill 211.

"Let us choose solutions over symbolism. Compassion over criminalization. And leadership over neglect."

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