Homeless

In the early morning hours of April 4 in a Brooklyn homeless shelter, a man in his 50s named Gerald began to violently thrash in his bed. He banged his head against the nearby locker, and the sound of skull on metal woke up the room’s seven other occupants. Anthony…

Want the best of VICE News straight to your inbox? Sign up here. San Francisco lawmakers just ordered that the city secure more than 8,000 hotel rooms for the city’s homeless population to better protect them from the coronavirus pandemic. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors — which has repeatedly…

Tens of thousands of people living without a home in New York City — an often-ignored and particularly vulnerable population — face even greater uncertainty amid the spread of COVID-19 as homeless service providers must adapt to social distancing and face growing strain.There were 57,842 children and adults in shelters…

A previous version of this report misspelled Ian Wace’s name. The story has been corrected.When Steven Tozer, founder of the upmarket London kebab chain Le Bab, realized the spreading coronavirus would close his restaurants, he felt “a weird sense of helplessness and a strong sense of responsibility.” He decided to…

LOS ANGELES — In most major American cities, residents have been told to stay home and avoid unnecessary contact with others to slow the spread of coronavirus. But California has by far the largest homeless population in the United States, and while state and local jurisdictions have taken certain measures…

Image copyright AFP Image caption Ugandan police hit vendors who refused to clear the streets Armed variously with guns, whips and tear gas canisters, security officers in several African countries have been beating, harassing and, in some cases, killing people as they enforce measures aimed at preventing the spread of…

Joe Ward-Wallace delivers a takeout order at South LA Cafe on March 28. (Los Angeles Times)To the editor: I appreciate the spotlight on the small businesses in South Los Angeles enduring economic hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am inspired daily by the resilience and dedication of these businesses…

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By Nathan Frandino, Shannon Stapleton, Katie Paul and Stephen NellisSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The coronavirus crisis is beginning to do something the city of San Francisco has been unable to accomplish for years - move homeless people off the streets and into shelters, including some of the city's now-empty hotels.Faced…

Social distancing and self-isolation have quickly emerged as essential public health responses to the coronavirus. As of March 31, 270 million people in at least 33 states, 89 counties, and 29 cities across the US have been urged by their government officials to stay home. While these policies often come…