The pandemic closed and limited a lot of civic services, including courts, to where there was no room/time to process everything. This meant things had to be prioritized and usually it is violent crime that takes precedence. Things that boil down to non-violent he said, she said situations aren't worth the time in that situation. Before looking deeper into this topic, I think that needs to be understood. It's not as much a political policy with sides as it is a response to a pandemic.

Because they're not a threat to society, have not been determined to be guilty, and throwing people in jail (only to bond out anyway a couple days later, in most cases - funneling more money to bondsmen) is a great way to (a) spread a pandemic and (b) waste money giving them what they want (shelter, food, healthcare, etc.)?

A dude swiping some snacks from Target I can understand, but people that break into private residences are definitely a threat to society. It is easy for that to escalate into a violent encounter and it makes people feel legitimately unsafe living in the city.

Please don't post in the flamewar style to HN, regardless of how right you are or feel you are.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

It's not a hotel, it's some sort of corporate subletting situation. These people broke into an apartment unit.

>7% of home burglaries resulted in a violent encounter. Given that only ~27% of the time someone was even home that's a pretty big risk when someone indeed happens to be home: https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/vdhb.pdf

Did you seriously just compare people being uncomfortable around black people with people being uncomfortable that their residence may be broken into??? "Legitimately" was the key word there.

> Because they're not a threat to society

how are they not a threat to society?

A lot of people have gotten soft on petty (and misdemeanor) non violent crimes and assume everyone is a criminal with a heart of gold "just trying to make it out there". I have been very poor before and living out of my car, I never stole one thing or broke into and squatted in any houses. If I had I would not have soiled the place up and taken stuff on my way out. I was raised with better morals than that. If I were a Californian I would be tired of the excuses the far left come up with to excuse petty crimes and lawlessness. I think it will come full circle in the next few years though as the crooks get bolder with the breakins and flash mob robberies.

> How are they a threat to society?

i thought you would offer a different take on these things. not answer with a question.

> We started getting reports from neighbors or the on-site management that are our guests are dealing drugs out of our units.

> Our lockboxes were getting broken into, keys taken and people have been living there for several days and in some cases weeks

> they would start packing up their car with our appliances

in civilised societies these kinds of actions would be considered extremely damaging to the fibre of the neighbourhood. people would complain to their elected official if the police refused to intervene. and if the elected official refused to act then he would be recalled.

Sorry, what makes them scummy? Because they want random squatters who are stealing stuff and not paying, while dealing drugs to not be in their accommodations that they created?

This kind of comment is exactly why “we can’t have nice things” when low-life’s are always defended, while those of us who actually meaningfully contribute to society are burdened to pick up the pieces and put up with illegal behavior.

Maybe the pandemic?