City of St. Louis Punishes Homeless

Molly Metzger, 7th Ward, said, “St. Louis should not punish people for being unhoused,” during at meeting at St. Louis City Hall.

TRANSCRIPT: Molly Metzger, seventh ward and I’m speaking in support of all three bills. Madam Chair, President Green and committee members, thank you for thoughtfully drafting and hearing these bills. Our city should not punish people for being poor.

Our city should not punish people for being unhoused. Building homelessness and uprooting encampments again and again harms people who are already struggling and disrupts human relationships. And we’ve been using public resources to do it, resources desperately needed for 100 other things, including supportive housing. So thank you to everyone who has worked on these bills and everyone who has engaged in good faith. As detailed in the first presentation today by President Green, the solution to homelessness is housing, not criminalization. And these bills are a step in the right direction. Thank you so much.