ricochet

With restaurants and libraries closed by official emergency orders, homeless people are left with few places to relieve themselves and — crucially in the COVID-19 era — to wash their hands. Shelters, too, have had to accept fewer people to accommodate physical distancing measures. This has forced thousands of homeless to fend for themselves outdoors, facing increased policing and ticketing amid state-of-emergency measures, as homeless advocacy groups scramble to offer their services in safe (and legal) ways.