Comparative

Policy Analysis
and Best Policy
Practices
By Jared Gregory
 • The problem I have chosen is homelessness, specifically the policy on public encampment in
South Carolina
• According to Melissa Rademaker, “13,399 people received homeless services in the state in
Severity of the 2021.”
• Though it is believed there are around 15 to 20 thousand homeless individuals in the state

Problem • With only around 13 thousand getting some type of aid at least once, that leaves many who
haven’t received aid
• Many homeless people have to find their own shelter, but this can be tricky with South
Carolinas public encampment laws
Policy Goals
• Currently in South Carolina homeless
camps are not allowed to be built, and
are taken down when found
• Barnini Chakraborty reported in
2017 that a new proposal “forces
those who sleep outdoors to be
sent to a shelter on the outskirts of
town.” Once at a shelter they won’t
let you come and go. The only way
to get back downtown was to get
approval by the shelter
• If they refused to go to the shelter,
they were sent to jail
• The overall goal of South Carolina’s policy
is to get rid of the homeless by moving
them elsewhere
• Oregon is proposing a new
bill that would decriminalize
homeless camps
• This would allow the
homeless to sleep in
public places without
fear of getting in
trouble
• This would be a change
from South Carolina’s policy
which actively has homeless
camps being destroyed and
people moved away
• The overall goal of Oregon's
policy is to combat
homelessness by targeting
the causes, not by
relocating the homeless
Eligibility Criteria

• Oregon's policy is directed at all

homeless people, and even gives them
the chance to sue for being harassed
• South Carolina’s policy is also directed
at the homeless, criminalizes them
instead of protects them
Benefits/Services Offered

• Oregon is giving the homeless

protections they need by allowing them
to sleep without worry and giving them
the chance to sue due to harassment
• The bill will allow the homeless to
sue for up to $1,000 if they are
harassed and/or kicked off public
land
• By having less resources focused on
removing the homeless, there can be
more resources trying to prevent
homelessness
Funding
• The funding would come from the effort and
resources that went towards removing the
homeless
• If the homeless were to sleep in public places
legally, then the funds saved can go into other
resources that combat homelessness
• Farrah Chaichi and Khanh Pham wrote in
the bill, “Decriminalization of rest allows
local governments to redirect resources
from local law enforcement activities to
activities that address the root causes of
homelessness and poverty.”
• Some examples of where the funds can go are
food pantry’s, housing, and towards the shelters
Population in Need
vs Population
Served
• Homeless people are the population
in need, but in South Carolina
businesses and people who do not
want to see the homeless are the
population being served
• Most businesses report homeless
people who are on their property
to the police so they can be
moved, which leaves the
homeless people in a
predicament with no where to go
• There are also people who don’t
want to see homeless people,
and so they support having them
moved elsewhere
 • If South Carolina were to adopt Oregon's new policy, then we would be able
to combat homelessness at its core
• Instead of spending funds on moving homeless people around, we can
focus on the real issues causing homelessness and work to prevent it
Policy Outcomes to others
• We can start fixing the issue instead of ignoring the issue
• There would be more homeless people willing to seek help knowing they
have protections
References
• Rademaker, M. (2023, January 2). SC homeless population growing,
new report shows. https://www.live5news.com. Retrieved May 2,
2023, from https://www.live5news.com/2023/01/02/report-shows-
homeless-population-growing-across-sc/
• Chakraborty, B. (2015, December 17). South Carolina City makes being
homeless illegal. Fox News. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/south-carolina-city-makes-being-
homeless-illegal